On the trail in the pursuit of happiness

Over the past four years, Delaware has spent more than $15 million in Bond Bill funds on trails, an investment that has rocketed the state from 31st on the list of bicycle friendly states to No. 4. Delaware now has more than 570 miles of public trails with 150 miles in state parks, and with numerous projects in the works, the number of trails will only increase.

“It's impossible to attain happiness without physical activity,” said coordinator John Hollis to a room filled with legislators, state officials, business leaders and healthcare professionals during the fourth annual Outdoors Summit at Stockley Center near Georgetown. The theme of this year's summit was the pursuit of happiness.

Hollis is Sussex manager of Community and Government Affairs with Nemours Health and Prevention Services and founder of Sussex Outdoors, a collaboration of healthcare, government and recreation organizations.

Using an ever-growing system of trails for cycling, walking and running has become a popular way to get outdoors and exercise. Over the past four years, the state has seen a spurt in trail construction with ongoing projects in every county. More than 20 projects statewide are under construction or in the design phase.

Millions for trails over past few years

It was during the initial Outdoors Summit at Trap Pond State Park near Laurel that Gov. Jack Markell announced First State Trails and Pathways, an initiative to link communities with trails and move the state into the top 10 Bike Friendly states.

In addition, the General Assembly passed the governor's Walkable, Bikeable Delaware resolution that requires the Delaware Department of Transportation to invest in making walking and cycling safer and more convenient when planning transportation projects.

That first year, there was $7 million included in the Bond Bill for trails and pathways – $2 million for the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and $5 million for DelDOT, said Susan Moerschel, Delaware State Parks chief planner.

Since that announcement – just in the Cape Region – the state has pumped millions of dollars into new projects including the Gordons Pond connector trail; a new section of Junction and Breakwater Trail; a sidewalk safety project along Route 1; and announced plans for the first phase of a Georgetown to Lewes rail-trail with a connection to Cape Henlopen State Park.

Also, the state has moved from No. 31 to No. 4 in five years in Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists. Over the past four years, the General Assembly has budgeted more than $15 million for trails. That figure does not include federal funding used for a variety of projects.

Delaware spends nearly 4 percent of its federal transportation funds on pedestrian and bike projects, which is the highest percentage of any state in the country, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Among some of the statewide trail projects in the works are the 2.8-mile Tri-Valley Trail to link communities in the Newark area; the 1.25 mile Assawoman Canal Trail in the Ocean View area; a trail linking New Castle to Wilmington – which includes a new bridge over the Christina River; the 10-mile Capital City Trail in and around Dover; and a link between Delaware City and Chesapeake City, Md., using the existing 9-mile Mike Castle trail along the C&D Canal.

Jeff Niezgoda, DelDOT trails planner, said since 2012, seven trail projects have been completed; nine projects are under construction; eight projects are in the design phase; and another 14 projects are awaiting funding.

Markell: Strong foundation is set

Markell, an avid cyclist who did a 30-mile ride the day before the summit, said the state has a road map for trails expansion into the future. “We don't have all the money, and the big question is are we going to make it,” he said. “Even during tough economic times, we have still found ways.

Markell said there is strong momentum pushing for outdoors recreation using trails. “Do we want to be left behind, keep up or be among the best?” he asked.

As governor, he said, he was willing to do what was needed balancing the other needs in the state, but his time is limited; his term ends at the end of 2016. He said strong advocacy groups have helped lead the fight for trails. “We have a strong foundation to build on,” he said.

Markell was among the first to ride on the Gordons Pond Trail in Cape Henlopen State Park in June, and he continued to ride on the trail five of the seven days he and his family vacationed in Lewes.

“The reaction from people using it was remarkable,” he said.

Markell said a couple from Oklahoma told him they chose to relocate to the area because of the trail. He said the trail is not only an outlet for outdoor recreation, but also an economic development tool.

Trails will open at Stockley Center

As part of a plan to provide more access to the Stockley Center near Georgetown, some trails included on the 750-acre Stockley site will be open to the public. More than 300 acres in the complex has been set aside as a nature preserve. “We think this will make this area a destination,” said Rita Landgraf, the state's secretary of health and social services.

The recommendation is among an ongoing series of proposals from the Stockley Collaborative.

Stockley Center is a state-owned complex opened in 1921 to serve the needs of state residents with developmental disabilities. During the 1970s, the complex was home to more than 700 people of all ages. Over the years, its scope has been diminished; today fewer than 100 adults live in its medical center and cottages.

The complex is administered by Delaware Health and Social Services and includes the Coverdale State Service Center, a medical examiner's office and facilities to support the residents with an aquatics therapy facility, gym, medical and dental offices, computer training center, chapel and day care center.

BY THE NUMBERS

40,000 number of cyclists, hikers, runners who have used Gordons Pond Trail *

39,700 annual average number who use Junction and Breakwater Trail

571 miles of public trails in Delaware

150 miles of trails in state parks

* since June 20, 2014

Athlete beats diabetes pedaling her bicycle

By Ron MacArthur

Jade Wilcoxson of Talent, Ore., grew up playing soccer as part of a team. Without a coach telling her what to do she drifted away from sports during her college years.

Then at the age of 26, during a routine examination a doctor told her she was prediabetic and on the track to type 2 diabetes.

It was her older brother who motivated her to get on her bike and ride; it was a defining moment in her life. “That was the start that changed my life,” she said.

Fast forward a few years, and Wilcoxson was holding her own against some of the top cyclists in the country. In 2011, as an amateur, she finished second in the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, Calif., behind Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong. At 35, she left her job as a physical therapist to become the oldest member of the Optum Pro Cycling team.

She returned to the Sea Otter Classic in 2013 and won the criterium and road race titles.

This year, Wilcoxson won the USA Cycling Professional Road Racing Championships as the top female cyclist in the country. She now has her sights on making the U.S. team in the 2016 Brazil Olympics.

Wilcoxson said through exercise and diet she has been able to keep her blood sugars at normal levels; she's also shed 20 pounds. “Instead of daily medicine, pedaling my bike took me on a course I wasn't suspecting,” she said.

Wilcoxson was the featured speaker at the 2014 Outdoors Summit. She said she was impressed with the emphasis the state places on trails. “I might make Delaware my second home,” she said.

Work to do promoting healthy lifestyles

In Delaware, 70 percent of adults and 40 percent of children are either obese or overweight. “We are one of five states that continue to see an increase,” said Karyl Rattay, director of Delaware Division of Public Health.

At least 11 percent of adults have diabetes. “And that's probably an underestimate,” Rattay said. “We have a lot of work to do promoting healthy lifestyles.”