Bloomington Trail System Analysis

Bloomington Trail System Analysis

Clear Creek Trail

Presented by: Chloe Achinger, Femi Hollinger-Janzen, Rissa Kirsch, Cornelius Strickland & Haley Vogel

Bloomington Trail System Analysis x x x

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 2-3

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF BLOOMINGTON TRAIL SYSTEM 2 PURPOSE STATEMENT 3

LITERATURE REVIEW 4-7

INTRODUCTION OF LITERATURE 4 EXISTING RESEARCH ABOUT TRAIL SYSTEM 4 SPECIFIC THEMATIC AREAS 5-7

METHODS 8-11

PURPOSE OF STUDY 8 STUDY SITE 9 POPULATION/ PARTICIPANTS 9 METHODS 9 DATA COLLECTION PERIOD 10 DETAILS ABOUT SURVEY & ANALYSIS 11

RESULTS 12-19

DISCUSSIONS, RECCOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSIONS 20-26

INTRODUCTION 20 DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS 20-24 RECOMMENDATIONS 20-24 LIMITATIONS 25 CONCLUSION 26

REFERENCES 27


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Bloomington Trail System Analysis Clear Creek Trail

Bloomington Trail System Description The city of Bloomington is home to a variety of multi-

use trails. The Bloomington Parks and Recreation Multi-Use

Trail System welcomes all ages and can be enjoyed by hikers,

cyclists, walkers, joggers and just about anyone looking to

enjoy nature. The Bloomington trail system offers a wide

variety of trails from “easy, paved trails to more rugged natural

hiking” trails (Visit Bloomington, 2015). Four of the most

popular trails include: The B-Line Trail, Rail Trail, Clear

Creek Trail and Jackson Creek Trail. The B-Line trail extends

3.1 miles through the heart of downtown Bloomington from

Adams Street to Country Club Drive. Some special amenities

that the B-Line trails include are: unique design features,

drinking fountains, benches, LED light fixtures and beautiful

landscaping. The trail itself is 12’ asphalt accompanied with a

2’ gravel shoulder lane for those who have varying preferences

in surface types. There is no fee for use of the trail and it offers

an alternate form of transportation all while promoting a

healthy lifestyle.

The Rail Trail extends 2.0 miles from W. Country Club

Drive to Church Lane. The trail takes users through a beautiful

wooded area in the suburbs and conveniently connects with the

Clear Creek Trail. Clear Creek Trail extends 2.5 miles from

Tapp Road to Church Lane with 12’ asphalt pavement. This

trail offers a more scenic view for users with views of farm

x x x

Clear Creek Trail

B-Line Trail

Jackson Creek Trail


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fields and wooded areas. The path is paved to equip bikers, walkers, joggers and rollerbladers.

One distinct feature about this trail is that it has a 150ft. historic Warren Truss Iron Bridge. The

Jackson Creek Trail is similar in footprint and design to the Clear Creek Trail. It comes

complete with benches, drinking fountains, attractive landscape features and drainage features.

Purpose of Study, Brief Description of Methods & Statement of Goals

The Clear Creek Trail is one of the three recreational trails that stretch through the city of

Bloomington and provide local residents with a way transportation, a passage to a more active

lifestyle, and an overall improved quality of life. Due to the fact that this particular trail is of

growing popularity, it is important to understand the opinion of its users in order to better it, as

well as the surrounding trails, for the future. The goal of our study was to pin point the main

concerns of Clear Creek Trail’s users and determine what Bloomington Parks and Recreation can

do in order to improve the trail to its full potential. The data found to execute this study was

collected by distributing a survey that consisted of questions about the participant, how the

participant utilizes the trail, and their opinions of the trail. The questionnaire was distributed on

Clear Creek Trail to individuals that were using the trail at that time. This took place around mid

and late afternoon along the north end of the trail as well as the entrance of the trail near the

parking lot. This way we were able to gather users from all areas of the trail.


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Literature Review Introduction

There are a multitude of studies that discuss urban trail use and the significance of their

presence in urban communities. In a journal discussing reasons for trail use, a team of researchers

suggests that “the development of walking and biking trails is an example of an environment-

focused strategy to promote physical activity within a community” (Human Kinetics, 2009).

Therefore, it is important to conduct studies that properly evaluate trail use by conducting research

studies through means of survey. Surveying perceived safety of the trail, perceived quality and

desired amenities of users would create grounds for improvement. Improving the trail based on

data gathered from participants will create for optimal trail use and create satisfaction within the

community in regards to recreation. Existing research evaluating urban trails uses survey in order

to determine both reasons of recreational and transportation use of urban trails. One study of an

urban trail similar to that of Clear Creek Trail in Bloomington found that 30.2% of recreational

users use the urban trail to get exercise and 27.6% used the trail for general health and well-being

(Human Kinetics, 2009). Those who used the urban trail for transportation reasons mostly used

the trail to incorporate exercise in their day and to avoid traffic congestions. The study surveyed

315 participants that used the trail for recreational purposes and 127 participants that used the trail

for transportation purposes. The varying among samples shows that most people use the trail for

recreational purposes, which also includes: enjoying nature, reducing stress, weight lost, escape

and community connection. Those using the trail for transportation purposes seek to use the trail

as a means of easier commute and view it as a safer way to get to a destination.

Trail Use

“People have a number of reasons for going to outdoor environments during their leisure

time” (Hartig & Staats, 2004, p.199). Trails can be utilized in many different ways or for many

different reasons. A reason could be about the geographic location of the trail or how the trial is

made. Some people use a trail alone; some use a trail with their family, and some use a trail with

their pets. The way trail users utilize their time can depend whether they are with company,

whether they are alone, or whether they can get access to the trail easily. A study about

neighborhood urban trail use outlines the purpose of this study as: “to model urban trail traffic as


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a function of neighborhood characteristics and other factors including weather and day of the

week” (Lindsey, 2006). Methods for this particular study included the use of infrared monitors at

numerous traffic locations, use of geographic information systems and census data. The

information collected in this study can act as a base in order for other research questions regarding

trail use to be answered. The results of the study found that trail use was directly connected to

“income, neighborhood population density, education, percent of neighborhood in commercial

use, vegetative health, area of land in parking, and mean length of street segments in access

networks” (Lindsey, 2006). All of these factors contribute to the use of urban trails, therefore we

can focus on these factors in order to narrow down our targeted audience of who we wish to survey.

Hartig and Staats “found that being in company was preferred to being alone” and “also, being in

company was considered more attractive in the urban than in the natural environment” (Hartig &

Staats, 2004, p.205). This study shows that people do in fact enjoy having someone to talk with

while walking. There is an interesting point when they state that people find it more comforting to

be in company in an urban environment rather than on a trail in the woods. This could be because

walking in the city could be more unsettling than walking in a natural environment. While walking

on a trail, users typically listen to music or enjoy the sound of nature and peace.

Trail Amenities

Physical activity is crucial for health; there is a broad group of activities that can be done

in order to acquire proper minutes of required physical activity. In order to urge more physical

activities, “more environmental and policy strategies are needed to change the physical and

sociopolitical environments” (Brownson, et al, 2000, p. 236), this is when trails come into

play. Trails allow for people to partake in different types of physical activities, such as: biking,

walking, and running. But with trails, there must be proper amenities in the vicinity that will aid

in enticing people to use the trails. Certain types of amenities can attract different groups of

people, such as bikers having access to bike racks to park their bikes or people walking their dogs

having access to bags and trash cans so they can clean up their dog's feces. Trail amenities are

crucial when it comes to the construction of an urban or rural trail system. Trail amenities include

services such as, “lights, phones, signs, benches, drinking fountains, garbage cans, and

restrooms…” (Troped, et al, 2006, p.137). The relationship between trail use and the amenities in


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the area could not be more obvious. Without benches, people would have no resting areas to sit, if

there were no signs people would get lost, with no garbage cans there would be trash all over the

trail attracting animals. Without amenities, there will be no trail users utilizing the paths.

In the article by Kelly R. Everson, “Evaluating change in physical activity with the building

of a multi-use trail,” the content broke down the cross-sectional studies and positive associations

between trails that exist and the physical activity participation that goes along the trails then

proceeds to state that residents in the nearby area need physical activity. The results from the

survey in the article came up with two activities; the activities were leisure activity and

transportation activity. The leisure activity survey asked the residents what physical activities they

have completed or participated in within the last month. “Leisure activity is simply what the

residents have been doing in their own time to stay fit other than intentional physical activity, such

as running or biking” (Everson, 2005, p.6). The transportation activity survey asked the residents

what activities they do the most, whether it is walking, biking or skating.

To further the survey, it asks about the trails and what activities the residents partake in the

most. It was found that most residents walk on the trails more so than jog or bike. “Residents would

like for a trail to have a smooth pavement so that it would be easy on the legs as well as the feet”

(Everson, 2005, p.9). The article explains that the survey includes all variables into compiling the

questions, such as asking the residents if they have done any occupational activities outside of

physical activities (vacuuming, gardening, and brisk walking). In conclusion, the trail is used for

physical activity and to stay in shape. Many residents feel the quality of the trail is fair and also

the doing activities such as biking, walking or cycling helps residents stay active.

Trail Safety

Trail safety can be a huge factor when deciding which trail to utilize. If a trail user feels

any sense of uneasiness or they do not feel comfortable while accessing the trail, there will be a

small population of trail users on that specific trail. In Hartig and Staats’ study “the results suggest

that when safety is ensured, being alone is considered more beneficial to restoration than being in

company, as it contributes both to the likelihood of intentional recovery and to the likelihood of

reflection” (2004, p.207). They believe that being in a natural environment alone, when one feels

safe, is better for rehabilitation than when being in company in a natural environment. Therefore,


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if a person feels safe or knows that safety is not an issue on a trail, then they are able to go about

their business alone and reflect on their day. According to Mark Young, the most recent comprehensive trail safety report issued by the

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy showed that overall, trails are a very safe place to be. In this study, of

the 372 trails that were surveyed, only 3% experienced any major type of crime (2014, p.55). There

are many aspects of trails that make them a safe place for recreation. “Trail safety begins with

thoughtful engineering and design” (Young, 2014). The safety of a trail can be increased by

reducing dense vegetation near the sides of the pathways, where visitors with “malicious intent”

could potentially hide. Mile marker signs, emergency call boxes, and trail patrols are additional

things that make trails a safe place. Young also pointed out that most agencies are hesitant to or

don’t post recommendations to protect trails users from personal assault because it can create the

perception that the trail is a dangerous place. Instead, tips are usually posted online, on brochures,

or alongside other trail signage. That way, trail users are still informed of the risk, but aren’t given

the impression that it is a usual problem.

Conclusion

Overall, trail use, safety and trail amenities are significant factors when it comes to deciding

which trail to use. “Research has explored a number of topics including physical fitness,

economic health and benefits, commuting, and place attachment…” (Chancellor, et al, 2012, p.

277). Greg Lindsey states, “the factors that control levels of use of these trails are not known,

although trail surface, proximate uses, and perceived neighborhood conditions undoubtedly are

important” (1999, p. 156). The necessity for urban and rural trails is indubitably crucial in

today’s society; people need other routs of transportation other than the accustomed motor

vehicle byways. Through survey administration on one of Bloomington’s trails, Clear Creek

Trail, we were able to better understand users of the trail systems to make numerous

recommendations for the future. The study we conducted will be discussed in further detail in the

methods section.


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Methods Collection period: May 29th & June 2nd 2015

Purpose of the Study

We organized a study to find out many different aspects of the way people use an outdoor trail.

The main point of this study is to try to discover how the Clear Creek Trail is being utilized and

population of the people that occupy the trail. Clear Creek Trail is approximately 2.4 miles long

and stretches from Country Club Drive past Tapp Road to Church Lane. This research study

strengthens and builds on a lot of course content we have learned thus far in our college

experiences. We are applying and utilizing many different techniques we have learned in the

course called Data Based Decision Making. In this course, we have covered how to use Excel

and how we can code all of our information we have gathered. We have also discussed survey

techniques and much more that will elaborate on this study. Having the opportunity to help the

Bloomington Parks and Recreation facility is an experience that many college students do not

normally come by. Our research questions will determine:

¾ If there is an inferential relationship between time of day and preferred reason for trail

use on all three trails

¾ If there is an inferential relationship between the perceived quality of surface

condition/material of the trail and activities performed on Clear Creek Trail

¾ Identify the desired amenities of all trail users

¾ Identify if people are typically with company, alone, or with pets while using the Clear

Creek Trail

¾ Identify if there is a difference of safety perception on the Clear Creek Trail versus the

Rail Trail and B-Line


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Study Site

We conducted our study on the Clear Creek Trail on two different days of the week. The first

study we conducted was done on a Saturday at the midpoint of the trail. This spot was out in the

country on the south side intersecting with S. Rockport Rd. adjacent to the trail was located a

rural neighborhood and across the road there was a quarry. Running south alongside the trail was

a large meadow and then on the right side of the trail was located a couple acres of woods. The

next two studies were conducted on a Friday a couple weeks later. The north end of the trail

started next to an old mill, which had a parking lot next to it where trail users, could park their

vehicles and bicycles. We then headed to the south end of the trail, which we found was

perpendicular to the Bloomington Rail Trail. There was a nice little parking lot located next to

the Rail Trail that was about one hundred yards away from the Clear Creek Trail ending spot.

We also noticed that there were two large cornfields running alongside the trail as it made its

way into the Rail Trail.

Populations and Participants Total number of surveys collected Spring & Summer Combined: 615 There are an estimated 80, 405 people that live in Bloomington Indiana (Bloomington Census

Data, 2014). The median age of Bloomington is an estimated 23.4 years old. An estimated

40,423 (50.3%) make up the male population of Bloomington and an estimated 39,982 (49.7%)

make up the female population. Clear Creek Trail is very known and respected in Bloomington,

Indiana. The trail has many residents to come across the trail. When collecting data a resident of

Bloomington came to take the survey and told me that this trail has been around for years, many

people who do activities on this trail either know each other or if there is a new person on the

trail we will know. Most of the populations for the trail are fairly in the mid 30’s and 40’s.

Students and non-students don’t use the trail as much or if they do use they don’t come often.

The trail makes everyone feel comfortable with having the benches, how the trees cover certain

areas and also the water fountains that still make the trail looks beautiful and feel safe.


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Details of Survey

Patrons were asked to participate in an anonymous survey to help the “City of Bloomington to

better understand users of the trail system for decisions impacting the trails in the future” (Trail

Survey). There are a total of 31 questions on the survey including check all that apply questions,

free- response and Likert scale ratings.

Survey topics included:

• General demographic information

• Residency

• Employment status

• Primary purposes of using the trail

• Distanced traveled to use the trail

• Trail access

• Trail frequency

• Other Bloomington Parks and Recreation trail use

• Time of day for trail use

• Trail accompaniment

• Trail activities

• Safety perceptions and concerns

• Trail impact on the Bloomington community

• Trail amenities

• Marketing

• Trail problems

• Trail development

• Trail recommendation

Selection & Collection Methods

The participants of our paper survey were selected on the trail itself, to ensure that the

individuals chosen were definitely users of the trail. We chose an area where three different parts

of the trail meet together and connect at a small round about. This allowed us to get many more

people passing through. The spot we were located was also near one of the parking lots, so we


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were able to stop some people as they were just entering or exiting the trail. As a motive for

people to stop by us instead of avoiding us, we brought a case of free water bottles and made a

sign that said “Free Water”. That way, when people were approaching us we asked if they would

like a free water bottle in exchange for taking our survey. Because it was difficult to stop

individuals running or biking past us, the majority of our participants were walkers. However,

we found that many of them do other activities as well besides walking so we do not think this

will affect the study.

Analysis Drawing data from the combined spring and summer data sets will allow us to make broad

generalization about our study sample. In regards to our one variable research questions we will

use descriptive statistics and present our data using frequencies and percentages. To determine

whether our inferential statistics are significant we will be using the Chi Squared and ANOVA

equations. The Chi-square test will be used to determine whether there is a significant

relationship between the times of day they are using the trail and their primary purpose of using

all trails. The ANOVA test will be used to determine if there is a significant relationship between

the perceived quality of surface condition/material of the trail and activities performed on all

trails.


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Results Research Question #1: Is there a relationship between the time of day they are using the trail and their primary purpose of using the trail?

Table 1 Purpose of Trail Use Description: This graph depicts the primary motivation of all participants on all trails (Clear Creek, Rail Trail, B-Line) for spring and summer data collected. As shown in the graph, recreation is the primary purpose for using the trails followed by exercise. It can also be noted that women are generally using the trail more than men. Data obtained from spring and summer data sets combined.

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Recreation

Health

Rehabilitation

Exercise

Commute to School

Commute to Work

Trail Activites

Other

Purpose of Trail Use on All Trails

Male Female Other Both

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

Early Morning

Mid-Late Morning

Early Afternoon

Mid-Late Afternoon

Evening

Night

Time of Day for Trail Use on All Trails

Male Female Other Both


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Table 2 Time of Day for Trail Use Description: This graph depicts the time of day all participants are using all of the trails (Clear Creek, Rail Trail, B-Line) for spring and summer data collected. As shown in the graph, majority of the participants use the trail in Mid-Late afternoon (12pm-3pm) followed by Mid-Late afternoon (3pm-6pm). It can also be noted again that women are generally using the trail more than men. Data obtained from spring and summer data sets combined.

Recreation

Health

Rehabilitation

Exercise

Commute to School

Commute to work

Trail Activities

total

Early Morning 49 97 6 45 3 7 4 211

Mid-Late Morning 195 44 2 75 4 3 5 328

Early Afternoon 182 53 5 85 2 2 1 330

Mid-Late Afternoon 162 80 6 129 5 13 9 404

Evening 143 40 3 72 3 1 1 263

total 731 314 22 406 17 26 20 1536

Recreation

Health

Rehabilitation

Exercise

Commute to School

Commute to work

Trail Activities

total

Early Morning 100.42 43.13 3.02 55.77 2.34 3.57 2.75 211

Mid-Late Morning 156.10 67.05 4.70 86.70 3.63 5.55 4.27 328

Early Afternoon 157.05 67.46 4.73 87.23 3.65 5.59 4.30 330

Mid-Late Afternoon 192.27 82.59 5.79 106.79 4.47 6.84 5.26 404

Evening 125.16 53.76 3.77 69.52 2.91 4.45 3.42 263

total 731 314 22 406 17 26 20 1536

Table 3 Inferential Comparison of Time of Day and Primary Purpose of Trail Use Description: This table shows the inferential comparison of two variable. First table displays actual results and the second shows the expected results of the relationship between time of day of trail use and primary purpose of trail use. Using Chi-Square, it suggests there is a significant


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relationship between the two variables. Data obtained from spring and summer data sets combined. Research Question #2: Are people typically with company, alone, or with pets while using the trail?

Table 4 Company on Clear Creek Description: From the data collected, it seems as if people tend to use the trail alone, or with one other person. There are more participants that use the trail alone, but the numbers are very close. The percentage of the people that enjoy traveling alone is 37%, whereas the percentage for the people who enjoy utilizing the trail with one other person is 34%. These percentages are very close in number and the participants could check “all that apply” for this specific question on the survey. This means that some people could travel alone on some days while using the trail, and on the other days they could travel in pairs. Research Question #3: What are the desired amenities on the trail?

Table 5 desired amenities of all trails


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Research Question #4: Is there a relationship between the perceived quality of surface condition/material of the trail and activities performed?

Surface condition Surface Material

Walking 1.91 1.89

Running 2 2.04

Cycling 2.07 1.92

Skating 1.71 1.52

Stretching 1.81 1.45

other 1.66 1.75 Table 6 Inferential Relationship between Surface Condition and Surface Material

Table 7 Participant rating of Surface Condition and Material using Likert scale Description: The average for the surface condition and surface material for each of the activities. Looking at the survey it looks as if people who cycle find it more of a problem on the surface condition which is the biggest problem. It also looks like running is more of a problem on the surface material. The least problem is stretching on the surface material and for the surface condition is it the other activities.


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Research Question #5: Is there a difference of safety perception on the Clear Creek Trail versus the Rail Trail and B-Line? Clear Creek (1) Rail Trail (2) Jackson Creek (3)

actual Yes (1) 40 50 21 111

No (2) 316 366 274 956

356 416 295 1067

expected 37.03467666 43.2764761 30.68884724 111

318.9653233 372.7235239 264.3111528 956

356 416 295 1067

p value 0.088703329 Table 8 Saftey Concern inferential comparsion between trails


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Table 9 Safety Discussion between Trails Description: After developing a chi squared test on the data that was collected regarding users’ safety perceptions of Clear Creek Trail versus the other two, it was found that the results are not statistically significant. The p value was a .08, and in order to be statistically significant it must be less than .05. However, it is highly suggestive that there is a relationship. More people are likely to feel less safe than expected on the Rail Trail, and people feel safer on the Jackson Creek Trail than expected.

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF SURVEY DATA (SPRING AND SUMMER DATA COMBINED)

Table 10 Trail Frequency Description: This chart shows the summer and spring data of the clear creek trail of the how frequent residents used the trail.

Table 11 Clear Creek Trail Participants Description: From the surveyors on Clear Creek Trail, there is more females that use the trail than males and people that identify as both genders. The percentage of


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females using the trail is 56.90%, whereas the males are only 41.17%. The persons who identify as both female and male have a percentage of only 0.02%

Desired Amenity Number of Requests

More/Better Lighting 75

Bathrooms 66

Drinking Fountains 41

Benches 15

Dog Care (ex. feces bags, play area) 14

Trash Cans 12

Signage 9

Cross guards/Cross Walks 8

Safety Precautions (ex. Emergency call units, patrol officer) 8

Parking 8

Running Lanes 5

Bike Rentals/Bike Lanes 5

Landscape (ex. Trees, Flowers) 4

Mile Markers 4

Bridges 2

Games/Activities (ex. Chess Boards, Canoe rentals) 2

Path Distance/Accessibility 1

Workout Equipment 1 Table 12 Desired Amenities of all trails description: This pie chart encompasses all data collected on desired amenities from all three trails. The data was collected starting March 25, 2015 all the way up to June 2, 2015. We used the open-ended question format and asked people which amenities they wished they saw more of on the trail, as well as which new amenities they wanted to see on the trail. We then counted and calculated which amenities were most desired by people and created a tally to count which amenities had the highest number of requests. As shown in the pie chart below people requested more/better lighting, more drinking fountains, and more bathrooms. There were 75 people who wanted better or more lighting, 66 people who wanted more bathrooms, and 41 people who wanted more drinking fountains along the trail. The rest of the percentages are shown in the pie graph below and the other requests are shown in the table below.


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Table 13 Lightening Issue Rating on Clear Creek Trail: This graph shows how the participants of Clear Creek Trail feel that adequate lighting is an issue.


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Discussion, Recommendations & Conclusions

Introduction This section will discuss in more detail the findings of our research study and how we can use

that data to make recommendations to the Bloomington Parks & Rec Department for improving

the trail systems. Using the tables presented in our results section we will make

recommendations based on information gathered from the survey regarding: trail use, trail

amenities, perceived safety, and the perceived quality of trails.

Inferential Relationship: Time of Day and Purpose of Trail Use Using the Chi-Square (χ2) test we were able to determine that there was a highly significant

relationship between the time of day participants were using all trails and the purpose of using all

trails. In table 1(Purpose for Trail Use, it can be concluded that the vast majority of trail users are

using the trail for recreation related purposes. Roughly 230 males are using the trail systems for

recreation and roughly 400 women are using the trails for recreational purposes. Exercise comes

in second as the most popular preferred use of the trails using spring and summer combined data.

In table 2 (Time of Day for Trail Use on All Trails), the vast majority of participants are using

the trails in the mid-late afternoon hours. According to the data we can also see that more

women are again using the trails than male participants. Due to the fact that these two variables

have a significant relationship, it is important for Bloomington Parks and Rec to know what

demographic to market to. A staggering 195 females are using all the trail systems in the mid-

late afternoon hours for recreational purposes. This finding was underrepresented in the expected

data set, therefore it is important that the Bloomington Parks & Rec Department add amenities

that are favorable to recreational users. Focusing on overall findings, recreation, health and


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exercise are the most common uses of all the Bloomington trails. Water fountains and exercise

amenities could help the Bloomington Parks & Rec Department better market to the health

conscious market, who are their main market.

Discussion of Safety Perception After analyzing our data for the research question “Is there a difference of safety perception on

the Clear Creek Trail versus the Jackson Creek Trail and B-Line?” we found that our results are

not statistically significant. We did this by developing a chi square test which gave us a p value

of .08. In order for the outcome to be statistically significant the p value must be less than a .05.

However, it is highly suggestive that there is a relationship. More people are likely to feel less

safe than expected on the Rail Trail, and people feel safer on the Jackson Creek Trail than

expected. I think these results were found because of the differences in their locations and how

busy or not busy these trails typically are. The trail users’ perception of safety on the trail is

important because the feeling of being unsafe could discourage residents from using the trail.

Additionally, the trail should not just feel safe, but should actually be safe. Therefore, if a large

number of trail users say they feel unsafe, Bloomington Parks and Rec can take the appropriate

adjustments to the trail to make sure that it is a safe place to be at all times of the day.

Discussion of Lighting on Clear Creek Trail

As discussed previously, people seem to enjoy traveling alone while utilizing the Clear

Creek trail. According to table 4, 37% of the people that use the trail travel alone, 34% of the

people that use the trail travel with one other person, 17% of the people that use the trail walk or

run with a pet, and 12% utilize the trail in a group. In the article “Alone or with a friend: a social

context for psychological restoration and environmental preferences,” Staats and Hartig find that


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“when safety is ensured, being alone is considered more beneficial to restoration than being in

company, as it contributes both to the likelihood of intentional recovery and to the likelihood of

reflection” (2004, p.207). If the people using the trail felt safe, then they would travel alone. The

37% that travel alone felt safe and comfortable to walk or run on the trail. There was a group of

people who felt safe, but they wanted the trail to be lit up when it was dark outside. They

recommend that the Bloomington Parks and Recreation should invest in some more lighting to

follow the trail along the path.

According to Staats and Hartig, traveling alone on the trail is one’s time to reflect on

their day and lives. This was another main reason why the trail users traveled alone because it

was their recreational time of the day. This article explains that people would rather make use of

the trail with another person if they do not feel comfortable being on the trail alone. Therefore, if

the Bloomington Parks and Rec were able to build on to the trail, they should add bright lighting

to help make all of the trail users comfortable and happy.

One recommendation for Bloomington Parks and Recreation trails would be to add extra

lighting for the trail users to be able to see and feel comfortable at night. Even though table 13

shows that lighting being an issue for people seemed to be very low, we noticed that when

people take the survey they do not really read all of the questions. After most people finished

their surveys they stated that the trails did not have enough light for the early morning or for the

nighttime users. Table 13 shows enough people are having issues with the amount of lighting on

the Clear Creek Trail. So, the Bloomington Parks and Recreation should highly consider

increasing the number of light along the trail.


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Discussion of Desired Amenities of Trail Users

Based on the information that was gathered related to trail amenities there are a few

requests that we strongly noted. The research that was used was collected between the dates of,

March 25, 2015 and June 2, 2015. On all three trails we conducted a survey asking people which

amenities they wished there were more of or which ones the wish the trails had. The requests

people made were not very surprising to our group, and we in fact agreed with a lot of the

requests. Here are listed the top three requests people utilizing the trails wanted, and here are

some recommendations we have for the Bloomington Parks Department.

The first and most popular requested amenity was more and improved lighting on the

trails. There were seventy-five people who requested this amenity to be improved or added in

certain areas. This makes perfect sense, noting that the trails can be utilized early in the morning

and late at night when the sun is not up. People using the trails to go to work early in the morning

may feel unsafe on certain parts of the trail because there is not lighting or very bad lighting and

likewise for people leaving work late at night. So our group recommends that he lights that are

up be upgraded and made brighter. We also recommend that there be more lights put up in the

less populated areas on the trails, such as on the rail trail that is mostly covered by trees.

Next we have bathrooms, which should already be a given because restrooms are

necessary in any setting. In the case of restrooms people may have an emergency and have

nowhere to go but on the side of the trail which happens to be illegal. For this request it was not a

problem of not having bathrooms, it was just not having enough bathrooms. Therefore we

recommend that there be more full restrooms or port-a-potty units placed next to the trails.

Lastly people had the desire for more drinking fountains placed near the trails. For people who

are exercising or anyone on the trail for that matter hydration is a key. Someone using the trail


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may become very dizzy and tired because there are not enough water fountains placed near the

trail and being dehydrated can lead to death. This is something that we must be very cognizant

of, and also why we strongly recommend that drinking fountains be placed at least every half-

mile throughout all the trails.

All of the amenities that we have requested to be improved on or added are very vital to user’s

safety, satisfaction, and cleanliness. If the Bloomington Parks Department is not yet aware of

these recommendations hopefully this will be helpful. All of the information above can be

located on chart 5 in the document.

Discussion of Surface Condition & Material

In Table 7 you can see the average of the surface material and also the surface condition with the

spring and summer data. From the survey I found that people who cycle find it more of a

problem on surface condition rather than surface material and that running is a big problem for

surface material rather than surface condition. My recommendation for the Parks and Recs would

to have a focus group of people who run and cycle the most. Within that focus group, Parks and

Recs will be able to identify the problem and solve it so it will be less problems on the trail when

it comes to running on the trail and cycling.


25

Study Limitations

Disturbing Participants

Although we were able to get a significant number of respondents while distributing the

survey, the majority of them were walkers. Because walkers are moving slowly, and typically

aren’t wearing headphones, especially if they are walking with another person, it was much

easier to get their attention and persuade them to take our survey. On the other hand, runners and

bikers are near impossible to stop unless they are interested and stop on their own. This is

because they not only are passing by fairly quickly, but these users were also typically wearing

headphones, so even if we did try to stop them they weren’t able to hear us. The lack of potential

participants that typically bike or run on the trail put a limitation on our study because they may

have had different opinions about the quality of the trail. Our research question that this most

likely affected the most was “Is there a relationship between the perceived quality of surface

condition/material of the trail and activities performed?”. Without a variety of trail users the

results of this research question could’ve been altered.

Weather

Because we were collecting our data outdoors, we expected weather to be a possible

limitation. The day we were supposed to go to the trail to distribute the questionnaire for the

second time, it ended up storming all day. We assumed that we would not be able to find enough

participants on the trail in order to collect accurate data, so we scheduled for another day when

the weather was predicted to be nicer. Although we went later in the day when it was nice, it had

been raining previously that day. We believe that this could’ve discouraged residents to go on the

trail that day, leaving us with less potential participants available to take our questionnaire that

day.


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Bloomington Trail System Analysis Clear Creek Trail

Conclusion After conducting the survey-based research study on the

Bloomington Trail System, it became very apparent that the

trail system is prominent aspect of the community. In order to

make recommendations for any program, researchers must

evaluate the participants’ involvement in the program to

receive optimal results. One significant take-a-ways from the

research study was that with our data, the Bloomington Parks

& Recreation Department can get a sense of who is using their

trails. With this information the Bloomington Parks &

Recreation Department can properly market to the right group

of people and make improvements to best suit them. In our

findings we determined that there was a large percent of

women using the trails for recreational purposes. The

Bloomington Parks & Rec Department can use this information

to add more recreational amenities to the trail systems to

increase overall satisfaction. Focusing on our assigned trail,

Clear Creek Trail, we concluded that 37% of trail users travel

alone which we hypothesized correlated with heighted safety

concerns. We believe that with the addition of new lighting

around the trail systems will create for a safe environments for

participants. With the data presented in this research study the

Bloomington Parks & Rec Department can begin to make

improvements that will benefit their trail users and the

surrounding community.

x x x


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F.J. (2000). Promoting physical activity in rural communities: Walking trail access, use, and effects. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 18, 235-241.

Byrne, J., Chou, C., Dunton, G., Jerrett, M., Reynolds, K., Spruijt-Metz, D., Weaver, S., and Wolch,

J. (2009). Reasons for Urban Trail Use Predict Levels of Trail-Related Physical Activity. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 6, 426-434.

Chancellor, H., Corning, S., and Mowatt, R. (2012). Multiuse Trails: Benefits and concerns of

residents and property owners. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 277-285. Everson, K. & Herring, A & Huston, H. (2005). Evaluating change in physical activity with the

building of a multi-use trail. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28(2), 177-185 Han, Y., Lindsey, G., Wilson, J., and Yang, J. (2006). Neighborho od Correlates of Urban Trail Use. Journal Of Physical Activity And Health, 3(1), 139-157. Hartig, T., & Staats, H. (2004). Alone or with a friend: A social context for psychological restoration

and environmental preferences. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24(1), 199-211. Lindsey, G. (1999). Use of urban greenways: insights from Indianapolis. Landscape and Urban

Planning, 45, 145-157. Troped, J.P., Cromley, K.E., Fragala, S.M., Melly, J.S., Hasbrouck, H.H., Gortmaker, L.S.,

Brownson, C.R,. (2006). Development and Reliability and Validity Testing of an Audit City of Bloomington. Bloomington Census Data. (2014) Retrieved from:

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Bloomington Trail System Analysis