When you think about bicycling infrastructure, what comes to mind? Most would probably answer with bike lanes, and bike racks, but that can't be everything can it? What if instead of thinking about transportation and parking we thought instead about play, and exercise? What does "bicycling infrastructure", not dedicated to transportation, look like? At the end of the day, how would this type of infrastructure play out in our daily lives? Who would benefit from it? Do we need to prioritize a type of infrastructure to maximize our collective benefit? With traditional high school sports apparently stalling, and alternative sports like mountain biking exploding in popularity, maybe it's time to revisit what infrastructure the community needs?
The asphalt ends on the sides. It gives way to dirt and weeds, the unfinished section of the park. Following the edge of the asphalt it’s clearly been worn down and packed firm from traffic, the dirt is a buffed and smooth alternative to the blacktop on the right, and it veers away, taking a more natural route, dodging around rocks, dipping into curves, climbing through tall weeds that obscure the park itself. You can hear the birds and the crickets chirp, civilization seeming to cease just a few feet from the official path. As the sun begins to set, a cool breeze rustles through the tall grasses, the mechanical click and brrrrr of a bicycle, joined quickly by the telltale crunch of rubber tires on dirt. A group of kids charge up the packed dirt path, rip through the meager turns, rush through the tall weeds and drop out of sight. They cheer, every one of them, joining the chorus that greets each rider as they disappear from view, obscured by those tall and wild grasses one might have called weeds. The last kid takes the plunge, bike thrust forward, arms and legs bent in anticipation of the drop, he rockets down a hill, his bent appendages absorbing the bumps of the rolling well worn path and the rocks embedded in it. These worn routes, that diverge from the official plan have a name, desire paths, and from the looks on those kids faces, grinning, breath hard from the fast pedaling and sudden drop, this path had definitely fed their desire, that paved loop around the park was an unavoidable obstacle to truly enjoying their time on their bikes.
In this notebook my intent is to present two sources and be slightly disingenuous by paraphrasing the sources and making them provide counterpoint to eachuther despite their being working towards the same goal by the end of each source.
The red blob represents Arrianne Brown at KSL arguing in favor of responsible and directed stewardship of public lands.
The Teal blob represents Matt Miller at SingleTracks seeming to advocate a selfish view of trail building.
Though In the end I feel importantly that the sentiment was captured between those demanding new trails and those managing the land people want them built on.
Where can the kids play?
Or the adults, for that matter too?
How many voices does it take to sway?
Are thousands too few?
Are our communities to poor?
We have a little money; do you need more?
How much does it cost, to turn some dirt, with a shovel or two?
We’ll push up our sleeves, to us this isn’t new.
Why can’t the west have trails?
Are the dirt lots too precious, earmarked for residential sales?
For Kearns and West Valley, is it too soon?
If it brought in money, would that change your tune?
