Hoosiers Use Bike Trails for Work and Play

By Robert Annis

The day after his 75th birthday last April, Wayne Payne celebrated by riding his bicycle 75 miles, using the Cardinal Green­way, which runs from Richmond to Marion.

“I can’t tell you how many people my age or older I see on the trail,” said Payne, a Muncie resident, who rides it at least four times a week during the warmer months.

“I had a quadruple bypass in 1999, and riding a stationary bike was part of my recovery. I know other people who went from riding indoors to buying or rehabbing a bike and getting out on the trail,” he said. “It’s more fun than doing something like yard work, and from the seat of a bicycle, you can see so many things and places that you normally wouldn’t.”

With more than 3,500 miles of greenways throughout the state, nearly 95 percent of Hoosiers live within five miles of a trail system. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources estimates that 561 miles of green­ways have been added since 2012, with more than 100 miles under development and thousands more being planned.

The Indiana State Department of Health offers a matching grant program for local governments to develop a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian program, while communities looking to purchase property can request up to $300,000 in matching funds from the state’s Bicentennial Nature Trust.

Interconnected Routes
Trail groups continue to piece together an east-west route paralleling U.S. Route 40, called the National Road Heritage Trail, which would span the state and pass through several cities, including Indianapolis. At more than 150 miles long, it could become a tourist attraction in its own right, much like the Katy Trail in Missouri.

“Trails are a great way for people to not only stay active but also create more livable communities, where they can get around without needing to rely on vehicles,” said Jason Tomcsi, AARP Indiana communications director.

Although specific numbers for Hoosiers are not available, riders ages 60 to 79 accounted for nearly a quarter of cycling’s growth nationally among adults over the past 20 years, according to federal statistics.

In Indianapolis, many of the greenways interconnect, allowing riders to travel to downtown almost entirely by bike path from neighborhoods like Broad Ripple or Fountain Square. It’s been a massive boon for riders, particularly older ones, said Ed Fujawa, board president of IndyCog, a local bicycling advocacy group.

Former Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard was the first to make bicycle infrastructure a priority in his administration, and his successor, Joe Hogsett, has followed suit.

“The greenways provide a low-stress opportunity to enjoy bike riding, which in turn benefits a person’s health and overall well-being,” Fujawa said.

“There’s also a financial benefit. For seniors still in the workforce, the greenway system provides an alternative to driving to work, as many areas of the city are accessible by bike, in conjunction with bike lanes,” he said.

Properly equipped bikes also can be used for shopping trips or other daily activities.
“This, in turn, can save money versus driving a car, in addition to the health benefits,” Fujawa said.

Robert Annis is a freelance writer living in Indianapolis.