Rail-trails can be a crucial element to a seamless urban or regional multi-modal transportation system. Many areas of the country incorporate rail-trails and similar facilities into their transit plans, relying upon trail facilities to "feed" people in to and out of transit stations in a safe and efficient manner. Rail-trails tend to be flat and direct, and often connect residential and business districts, so many people find rail-trails convenient as a primary means of getting safely to and from work, school, shopping areas and other destinations. .
Regarding trails as both transportation and recreation facilities, encourages the bonding of recreation and exercise with our daily routine, making it easier to stay healthy and fit. According to statistics derived from the 1995 National Personal Transportation Survey, "43 percent of cycling trips are made for purposes other than just recreation," and that "cycling on an off-road trail facility is generally safer than riding on sidewalks or streets without bike lanes." Surveys continue to indicate that "the more safe facilities are available, the more people are willing to use non-motorized transportation for many daily trips that would otherwise be made by car.".
Rail-trails create healthy recreation and transportation opportunities by providing people of all ages with attractive, safe, accessible and low or no-cost places to cycle, walk, hike, jog or skate. Trails help people of all ages incorporate exercise into their daily routines by connecting them with places they want or need to go. In a recent report on physical activity and health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) addressed the national public health crisis stemming from physical inactivity. Most Americans make the connection between exercise and health, but many people still lead sedentary lives. According to HHS, "approximately 300,000 U.S. deaths a year are associated with obesity and overweight (compared with 400,000 deaths a year associated with cigarette smoking).
