Crisp weather, beautiful fall colors, and the recent news about the planned replacement of the iconic covered bridge on the Kal-Haven Trail, inspired a fall bike trip last weekend.
My husband and I had a lot of company on the trail. From a woman in her seventies who said she was just relearning to ride a bike (good for her!) to a dad and his young son learning to ride with training wheels, trails are a magnet for all ages and a perfect venue for intergenerational connectivity.
At the covered bridge, several people stopped their bikes or paused their hike to take in the view, rest in the shadow of the bridge, or take pictures with the iconic bridge as a backdrop.
A young couple posing for engagement photos, a retired couple taking a final hike before heading to warmer climates for the winter, and a duo of long-distance bike riders out for an afternoon of training, were the company we encountered at the bridge that afternoon.
The bridge’s history goes back to 1870 as a railroad bridge. It was rebuilt in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps as a railroad trestle and then converted to a covered bridge in 1990 for the Kal-Haven Trail.
For our family and many others, the covered bridge has served as a backdrop and favorite trail stopping point for innumerable hikes and bike trips over the past 30-plus years. It’s hard to imagine the Kal-Haven Trail without it.
The covered bridge replacement is planned as part of Michigan Department of Natural Resources $5 million improvement project for the trail. Investment in trails is good for the economy and for the health of the community. That said, there should be room for preserving history as a part of trail improvement. There are efforts in play to preserve the bridge. I hope they prevail.
Southwest Michigan is blessed with abundance of trails, and more are planned.
The Friends of Berrien County Trails is spearheading the development of a county-wide trails plan. The plan will include shared use paths, paved shoulders and bike lanes, water (paddling) trails, hiking trails, mountain biking trails, cross country skiing trails and equestrian trails and more. It’s a bold plan and worth the investment.
A study released by the American Journal of Public Health reveals a direct correlation between how close people live to biking and walking infrastructure and the amount of weekly exercise they get.
The study was conducted on three communities upgrading their walking and biking infrastructure. The study measured the exercise habits of residents both before the trails went in, and after. The results showed that those living within less than a mile of the new trails got on average 45 minutes more exercise per week after the trails were built.
The amount of increased exercise per week went down the further away people lived from the new trails, but benefits were still seen up to those who lived up to 2.5 miles away.
As the lead author of the study, Dr. Anne Goodman, noted, “These findings support the case for changing the environment to promote physical activity by making walking and cycling safer, more convenient, and more attractive.”
Not only do communities with high quality trail infrastructure see health improvements, but those health improvements also translate into real medical savings. A literature review by the American Heart Association found that for every $1 invested in building trails there is a direct correlation to $3 of saved medical costs.
There are many trails in Berrien County to explore. To find available hiking, biking, mountain bike, and water trails, or to learn more about the Berrien County Trails Master Plan, visit berrientrails.org.
Perhaps I’ll see you on the trail later this fall. Just know that if I do, I likely stop you for a conversation and perhaps a photo by any iconic bridge or other historical structure. Happy trails!