Zim

Smith Trail
TheZimSmithTrail(ZST)isa10milemultiusetrailthatconnectsBallston ZimSmithTrailUsersbyZipCode
Spa to Coons Crossing in Halfmoon through the Towns of Ballston, Malta,
and Clifton Park and the Village of Round Lake in Saratoga County. It is
oftenreferredtoasthebackboneofthecountytrailsystem.Itistheonly
trailinNewYorkStatetobedesignatedaNationalRecreationTrailbythe
U.S.DepartmentofInteriorandNationalParkService.Anextensionofthe
trailfromCoonsCrossingintotheCityofMechanicvilleisplannedandwill
beconstructedinthenearfuture.

Volunteerscollected21surveysatlocationsalongthetrailand36trailusers
indicated usingtheZSTontheonline survey.Of the36surveysmailedto
adjacentresidentiallandowners,17werereturned.Thetrailattractedusers
from 23 different zip codes. The highest number of trail users came from
BallstonSpa,Ballston,SaratogaSprings,andTroy.

The ZST runs through predominantly suburban and rural communities of

Saratoga County, connecting multiple parks and natural areas. Similar to
other trails surveyed, there were more bicyclists than other modes and
moremalethanfemaletrailusers.

Trailuseincreasedatbothcountlocationssince2006,butmorethantripled
attheGoldfootRoad/RoundLakeRoadareaofthetrailfrom.
Trail User Survey Summary
Gender Abouthowmanytimeshaveyouusedthetrailduringthepast
Male 8 38.1% twelvemonths?
Female 13 61.9% Lessthan5days 5 23.8%
Age 510days 3 14.3%
Under16 1 4.8% 1124days 8 38.1%
1624 1 4.8% 2549days 1 4.8%
2544 5 23.8% 50100days 0 0.0%
4564 10 47.6% Morethan100days 4 19.0%
65orover 4 19.0% Aretheresectionsofthetrailthatyouavoidduetopoortrail
Howdidyougettothetrailtoday? conditionsorgeneralconcernsabouttrailmaintenance?
Drove 19 90.5%
Yes 1 4.8%
Bicycle 1 4.8%
No 20 95.2%
Walk/Run 1 4.8%
Isyourvisittothistrailpartofanovernighttripawayfrom
Other 0 0.0%
home?
Howdidyougettothetrailtoday?
Yes 1 4.8%
Drove 19 90.5%
No 20 95.2%
Bicycle 1 4.8%
Walk/Run 1 4.8% Howwouldyourateyourcurrenthealthstatus
Other 0 0.0% Excellent 6 28.6%
Whatisyourprimarypurposeforusingthistrail? VeryGood 9 42.9%
Recreation 10 47.6% Good 5 23.8%
Health/Exercise 17 81.0% Fair 0 0.0%
Commutetoschool/work 0 0.0% Poor 0 0.0%
Other 1 4.8%
 Onascaleof15,towhatextentdoyoufeelthefollowingitemsareproblemsontheZimSmithTrail?

1 2 3 4 5
Notaproblem Noopinion Majorproblem

parkingand/oraccess

Lackofservices(restrooms,etc.)

Personalsafety(crime)

Directionalsignage

Dangerousroadintersections

Litter,glass&debris

Petsoffleashes/animalwaste

Trailwidth

Trailsurfaceconditions

Behavioroftrailusers

Conflictswithothertrailactivities

Toocrowded

0 5 10 15 20 25
Adjacent Residential Survey Summary
Whichofthefollowingmostaccuratelydescribeshowyouuse
yourpropertyneartheTrail? Whatistheapproximatecurrentvalueofyourproperty
Itismyprimaryresidence 16 94.1% Lessthan$99,999 0 0.0%
Irenttoatenant,anddo $100,000199,999 5 29.4%
notoccupytheresidence 0 0.0% $200,000299,999 5 29.4%
Itismysecondhome 0 0.0% $300,000399,999 2 11.8%
Itisunoccupied 1 5.9% $400,000$499,999 3 17.6%
Other 0 0.0% $500,000ormore 1 5.9%
Whereisthetrailinrelationtoyourpropertyline? Noanswer 1 5.9%
Thetrailrunsthroughmy Howwouldyoudescribethesettingofyourhousenearthe
property 1 5.9% trail?
thetrailrunsalongtheedge Urban 0 0.0%
ofmyproperty 13 76.5% Suburban 9 52.9%
Thetrailisnearmyproperty Rural 7 41.2%
butnottouchingit 3 17.6% Noanswer 1 5.9%
Don'tknow 0 0.0% Whendidyouacquireyourhouse?
Approximatelyhowfar(infeet)istherailtrailfromyourhouse? Afterthetrailwasbuilt 6 35.3%
Lessthan100ft. 4 23.5% BeforetheTrailwasbuilt 11 64.7%
100ft.to199ft. 7 41.2% Compareyourinitialreactiontotheideaoflivingnearthetrail
200ft.to499ft. 3 17.6% tohowyoufeelaboutlivingnearthetrailtoday.Wouldyousay
500ft.ormore 2 11.8% thatlivingnearthetrailisbetterorworsethanyouexpectedit
Noanswer 1 5.9% tobe?
Approximatelyhowlargeisyourproperty? Muchbetter 4 23.5%
Lessthan1/2acre 7 41.2% Better 3 17.6%
Between1/2and1acre 1 5.9% Same 6 35.3%
Between1and3acres 0 0.0% Worse 2 11.8%
3acresormore 9 52.9% Muchworse 1 5.9%
Noanswer 1 5.9%
Doyoufeelthetrailposesarisktoyourownoryourfamily's
safetyduetotheactivitiesoftrailusers?
Howdoyoufeelthetrailhasaffectedthequalityofyour
Yes 2 11.8%
neighborhood?
No 14 82.4%
Highlyimproved 2 11.8%
Noopinion 1 5.9%
Improved 8 47.1%
Ifyouweretotryandsellyourproperty,doyouthinkbeing Noimpact 6 35.3%
nearthetrailwillmakeitharderoreasiertosell?
Worsened 1 5.9%
Mucheasier 1 5.9% Completelydeteriorated 0 0.0%
Easier 6 35.3% Doyoufeelyourproximitytothetrailhasimprovedyour
Same 6 35.3% physicalactivitylevels?
Harder 3 17.6% Yes 9 52.9%
Muchharder 0 0.0% No 7 41.2%
Noanswer 1 5.9% Notsure 1 5.9%
Howdoyouthinkbeinglocatednearthetrailhasaffectedthe Doyoufeelthatthedevelopmentandmanagementoftrailisa
resalevalueofthisproperty? gooduseofpublicfunds?
Loweredtheresalevalue 2 11.8% Yes 14 82.4%
Increasedtheresalevalue 4 23.5% No 1 5.9%
Noeffectontheresale Noopinion 2 11.8%
value 6 35.3%
Howoftendothemembersofyourhouseholdusethetrail?
Noopinion 5 29.4%
Daily 2 11.8%
Overall,howsatisfiedareyouwithhavingthetrailasa
Frequently 7 41.2%
neighbor?
Occasionally 4 23.5%
Verysatisfied 9 52.9% Rarely 3 17.6%
Satisfied 3 17.6% Never 1 5.9%
Indifferent 3 17.6%
Unsatisfied 2 11.8%
Veryunsatisfied 0 0.0%
 Towhatextentdoyoufeelthefollowingitemsareproblemsforyourhouseholdasaresultofthetrailanditsusers?

1(Notaproblem) 2 3(Noopinion) 4 5(Majorproblem)

Disruptivenoisefromthetrail
Burglaryofmyproperty
Discourteous,rudeusers
Unleashedandroamingpets
Petwasteon/nearmyproperty
Carsparkingon/nearmyproperty
Vandalismofmyproperty
Usersharassmypets
Trespassingontomyproperty
Loiteringon/nearmyproperty
Litteron/nearmyproperty
Illegalmotorvehicleuse
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

Towhatextentdoyoufeelthatthetrailisimportantinprovidingthefollowingbenefitstothesurroundingcommunity?

1(Notimportant 2 3(Noopinion) 4 5(Veryimportant)

Locaionforspecialevents

Transportationalternatives

Environmentaleducationopportunities

Openspaceconservation

Waterfrontaccess/revitalization

Toursim&relatedeconomicbenefits

Safeopportunitisforhealthandfitness

Safeopportunitiesforpublicrecreation

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18