Submitted by [deleted] t3_yxv3t4 in springfieldMO
Comments
name-isnt-important t1_iwqt3q3 wrote
This is exciting. We need outdoor recreation activities. I’m glad to see the city moving forward.
ShartsvilleDestroyer t1_iwqti8a wrote
Did you take into consideration the estimated economic benefit this is predicted to bring in?
ShartsvilleDestroyer t1_iwqu246 wrote
Springfield and the surrounding area has tons. Springfield's trail system is phenomenal!
name-isnt-important t1_iwqwd0r wrote
Don’t disagree but this would make it possible to ride a great uninterrupted stretch and connect Ozark to Springfield
ShartsvilleDestroyer t1_iwqwmfw wrote
I know... I read the story.
robzilla71173 t1_iwqwr4t wrote
None of these things is fiscally sensible. They're astroturfing Cooper Park over the winter at a cost of 25 million. They want to bring in big soccer tournaments. What it will really do is wreck the neighborhood for people that live there and wreck a really nice park and probably wreck some children's knees. We aren't all about the smart thing in this country. Right now there's a lot of unspent covid money and debt be damned, we're going to find stupid things to spend it on. Personally I'd prefer the greenways trail to a plasticized park, but over the years I've only found one of the trails to be uncrowded enough to be useful at all. I would bet most of them get way over 100 users a day.
Redditor_PC t1_iwqy14d wrote
As someone who regularly enjoys the trails in Springfield and the surrounding towns, having them connect like this into a big "super trail" sounds like a dream. Love it.
MrZanzinger t1_iwqy76d wrote
This is a really good thing and I'm excited about it but I would love if they could finally link Wilson's Creek trail to the Jordan Creek trail. Crossing the bypass and climbing over that metal thing that used to be the Bennett street bridge is sketchy.
KTfl1 t1_iwr5r22 wrote
A projected $106 million in economic benefit would be generated over 20 years, according to literature at the showcase.
106 ÷ 20 ÷ 365 = 14,520. From a bike path? Not even including seasonal temperatures! Who got paid to write that fiction? And people repeat it! What happened to critical thinking skills?
If you figure 8 months of usability it's $22,000 a day.
How?
MrZanzinger t1_iwr72nr wrote
Why are major bicycle related companies moving their North American headquarters to Northwest Arkansas? It's not because they are a fan of the Razorbacks but probably more about how much that area has invested in the cycling infrastructure.
KTfl1 t1_iwr8me8 wrote
So you believe the 106,000,000 figure? I am not against the path. I do not believe that a bike path can generate 5M of economic benefit a year.
KTfl1 t1_iwramn3 wrote
If you assume 2000 users a week over 7 months, each of those users would have had to generate a little more than $100 each.
2000 x 4 weeks x 7 months = 56,000 users annually. How many people do you think will use it? What do you think they will spend?
Sorry for the edits
MrZanzinger t1_iwraz5u wrote
I know it can generate an economic benefit but don't care enough to argue over estimated numbers.
I've ridden my bicycle and stopped for a bag of peanuts and a drink twice a week for probably 4 months this year at the gas station on the Frisco trail that I've never stopped at in my car.
Numerous-Mix-9775 t1_iwrcqe9 wrote
I noticed a while ago that they were clearing the old Chadwick Flyer path in Ozark.
WendyArmbuster t1_iws779n wrote
I recently read a study that the houses in Bentonville, AR that are within a short distance (I don't recall the exact distance) of their bike trail system increased in value significantly compared to the houses in Bentonville that were not as near the trails. It was quite a bit, and there were a lot of houses in that zone. I would have no problem believing that living near this trail (which I do) would add significant value to my home, and the data backs it up.
KTfl1 t1_iws8sry wrote
Fair point. I hadn't considered that. I guess I will have to look at the report.
Cloud_Disconnected t1_iwst03o wrote
Not to be a downer, but I'm wondering how they are going to deal with the homeless encampments that will inevitably spring up all along this trail.
Austin1958 t1_iwt70fd wrote
What does the trail have to do with our homeless problem?
sgf-guy t1_iwtgz4f wrote
I believe I saw a thing that said it was supposed to bring in $18 per visitor…but….these will very largely be people locally who were already going to do an activity and spend money anyway. So no, I don’t buy that math.
I’ve attended more city council meetings that most any multi term council person will…and projected economic benefit is grifter talk a LOT of the time.
I like history so I can respect the idea…but this doesn’t make sense. If this is such a great idea the local cyclist/jogger community will make it happen on their own. The thing about the govt being involved is it will never go away even if it doesn’t make sense. See the recent Nixa police/sports center vote for an example.
sgf-guy t1_iwtiiod wrote
I live by the Grant Avenue project and that is a nightmare. One of the best quick local transit for locals from Sunshine to North of Norton options…and now it is “free” money becoming a thing that will ruin it all. More traffic on Campbell and Fort and Kansas because locals will avoid Grant.
I’ve found government has expanded beyond essential services to new departments and projects and job justification…used to be the media could call up the dept heads and talk with them on the record but now we have entire PR depts…who will speak for dept head…despite knowing nothing.
You could cut at least 1/3rd of modern govt and stop chasing projects…because they exist to justify their job but not be essential. Surely if soccer was such a big deal a private company would have made it a business. Surely if cyclists or joggers or walkers cared enough they would made it happen.
MotherofaPickle t1_ix8vmv4 wrote
I would very much prefer if they finished/connected the existing trails (like they’ve been promising for a decade) before they start a new one…
ShartsvilleDestroyer t1_iwqluzp wrote
Cyclists rejoice!! I'm very excited for this.
There is also a survey, to give input, here.