Trails support an active lifestyle that improves health. Physical activity helps prevent heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, colon cancer and depression. Every $1 invested in trails for physical activity leads to $2.94 in direct medical benefit.
Trails attract tourists and create the kind of quality of life that promotes business and puts money into local economies.
These trails will unite city and county, west side and east side, neighborhoods, and people. Trails foster community.
Trails help improve air and water quality by providing enjoyable options for transportation that reduce air pollution while helping manage soil erosion caused by agriculture and road runoff.
— David Britt, chair of Spartanburg County Council economic development committee
Goal: 32 Connected Miles
$13.5 million in projects
$8.4 million secured
14 community partners
5 existing trails
4 watersheds
“Trails create healthy recreation and transportation opportunities by providing people of all ages with attractive, safe, accessible places to engage in physical activity. The evidence is accumulating showing the extent of positive impact trails have had on public health. In promoting DHEC's vision, Healthy People Living in Healthy Communities, we strongly endorse the use of trails as a tool to help make exercise more convenient and neighborhoods more exercise-friendly. I applaud the efforts of the many community partners involved in creating this interconnected trail system. The public health benefits of the DAN will be broad and crosscutting, leading to our common goal of improved community health for Spartanburg County.”
— Kandi R. Fredere, Region Health Director, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control
“The development and subsequent sustainability of running/walking trails in our communities are designed to increase activity and wellness of individuals and families. The trails’ connectivity to various neighborhoods will afford our citizens opportunities for establishing new relationships and friendships with people of diverse backgrounds.”
— Captain Tim Suber
“We are pumped. I love the ease-of-use the trail provides. I can quickly test different terrain levels and experiment with greenway and blueway combinations to find that sweet spot. Kudos for the amazing signage too, really quick turnaround!”
— David Britt, Spartanburg County Council, Chair of Economic Development Committee
“I am looking forward to the continuing improvements of the (MBF) Rail Trail. The trail is very important to encourage people to get out and exercise. Trails throughout Spartanburg provides an opportunity for our youth to focus on a healthy lifestyle!”
— J. Ruth Littlejohn, South Converse Neighborhood Association
“There is no other project more important.”
— George Dean Johnson, Jr.