NORTHWEST ARKANSAS (KFSM) — A new study shows that Fayetteville and Bentonville are the heaviest trail users in Northwest Arkansas, which, region wide, is comparable to many top cycling- and pedestrian-friendly cities.
The Walton Family Foundation released the results of the Northwest Arkansas Trail Usage Study in a press release earlier this month. The study showed that the trails were primarily used for recreation instead of for commuting.
Northwest Arkansas’ usage rate for their top three trails averages 4.45 cyclists and 4.40 pedestrians per 1,000 people, according to the study. Northwest Arkansas’s usage is similar to San Francisco (4.78 cyclists per 1,000) and San Diego (4.54 pedestrians per 1,000).
The trail system, which has more than 130 miles of multi-use and natural trails combined, averages a little more than 2,000 cyclists each day at its top three trails. There are also roughly 2,000 pedestrians using the trails each day.
The Scull Creek Trail showed the highest average daily use on weekend and weekday bicycle counts, at 759 cyclists and 479 cyclists per day, respectively. For natural surface trails, the Seed Tick Shuffle Trail had the highest average daily weekend and weekday bicycle counts at 39 cyclists and 68 cyclists per day, respectively.
An average of almost 68,000 cyclists and nearly 59,000 pedestrians are expected to use each site annually, the study shows.
Another study finding was that higher bicycle trail usage is associated with with higher densities of employment and population.
