FLATS

Did you know that Thousand Hills State Park is a 7 mile drive from downtown Kirksville, but merely a 4 mile bike ride?  FLATS, or the Forest Lake Area Trail System is working to make this 4 mile bike ride a possibility. FLATS is dedicated to the use, development, promotion, and maintenance of trails in Adair county.  The first phase of the trail will begin construction in the spring of 2012; this phase will connect the marina to the petroglyph site, which is roughly 6/10ths of a mile stretch.  The second phase is to connect phase 1 to the north campground. And lastly, the third phase, which will take place in several stages, will be connecting the park trail to a currently existing Kirksville bike route. 

            Funding sources are from business or individual donations, grants, foundations, and state or government agencies.  No tax dollars are going towards the development of this trail.  $100,000 has already been donated to FLATS by the Recreational Trails Program which is funded by the Federal Highway Administration; fifty-seven percent of the phase 1 costs were covered by the Recreational Trails Program.

The trail will be constructed out of concrete, which has a longer lifespan and maintenance cost than gravel or asphalt.    The FLATS trail will be within ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act, standards, so anyone with any disability is able to access and use the trail.  FLATS is committed to trail maintenance so that the trail can remain as useful to Kirksville residents as anticipated. 

            FLATS is pursuing this project because of the positive impact it will make on the community.  “Before a trail is built residents often express concern about property values, safety, and liability. Once trails are built residents report that trails have clear positive effects on their neighbors, friends, and families. Trails users can make neighborhoods safer, serving as an informal neighborhood patrol, and trails both raise property values and decrease selling time for houses.”  In Columbia, MO where a similar trail was paved, “93% of nearby felt the trail would make their home easier to sell or have no effect.”  “The value of a home increases by $6.77 for every foot of decrease in the distance to the nearest trailhead.”   Concerning safety and crime rates, according to the City of Columbia, “homes bordering the trail actually had lower rates of burglary and vandalism that the neighborhood average.” Lastly, “legislation protects adjacent property owners from liability from trail users.”

Consider the immense environmental impact the trail will have when individuals are walking, biking, running, or rollerblading to Thousand Hills state park instead of driving.  Also, walking, biking, running, and rollerblading are great ways to exercise.  According to the World Health Organization, physical inactivity is second only to tobacco smoking as a health risk in developed countries, and this is associated with tens of billions of healthcare costs.  The WHO's report suggests that increasing physical activity is a public health 'best buy', and that cycling is a 'highly suitable activity' for this purpose.  It has been estimated that, on average, approximately 20 life-years are gained from the health benefits of road bicycling for every life-year lost through injury.  Cycling is especially helpful for those with arthritis of the lower limbs who are unable to pursue sports that cause impact to the knees and other joints. Since cycling can be used for the practical purpose of transportation, there can be less need for self-discipline to exercise.

City of Columbia. (2007). Trail Information for Property Owners. Retrieved 2011, from Go Columbia MO: http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/ParksandRec/Trails/trail_brochure.php

FLATS. (2011). Retrieved 2011, from FLATS - Forest Lake Area Trail System: http://www.kvflats.org/

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010, December 18). Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your health. Retrieved 2011, from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612

Racioppi, F., Dora, C., Krech, R., & Von Ehrenstein, O. (2002). A Physically Active Life Through Everyday Transport. Copenhagen: World Health Organization.

Loraine Feldmeier