A Liking for Biking

Move over cars. Bicycles and pedestrians are getting a leg up in Indianapolis. A project to connect the historic and cultural districts in the downtown area with trails carved out for bikers and walkers is in the design phase. The 1-square-mile circular route dubbed the "Cultural Trail" would act as a hub for the greenways and trails that fan out from the city and form commuter routes. "Almost every point of the compass has a trail into downtown," says Mike Dearing, manager of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization. "This would act as a wheel to the spokes of the greenway trail system."

Several cities are looking into the idea of making biking and hiking trails more utilitarian rather than purely recreational. They want to make it easier for people to get to work, do errands and visit downtown museums, restaurants and other amenities without always having to get into their cars. It can be difficult to connect trails in built-up urban areas, but many places are finding ways.

Seattle has connected trails so bikers can make their way across the city. Rhode Island has its East Bay Bike Path, a 14.5-mile trail that runs into Providence. Charleston, South Carolina, is planning trails that can be used for transportation.

Indianapolis sees its Cultural Trail as useful for improving air quality, relieving congestion, improving health and bolstering economic development. The plan is to connect five cultural districts with a dual-purpose pathway that would separate bicyclists from pedestrians--and both from the road. "It's a very popular concept," Dearing says.