MohawkHudson

BikeHike Trail MHBHTUsersbyZipCode

The MohawkHudson BikeHike Trail (MHBHT) is the longest continuous
multiuse trail in the Capital Region, stretching from the City of Albany
through the Town of Rotterdam. It is part of the 360mile Erie Canalway
TrailthatendsinBuffalo,NY.Thereare35milesofoffroadtrailwithinthe
CDTC area, which continues to grow and expand as new trails and
infrastructureconnecttoit.Therearealsoasignificantnumberofsigned,
onroadmilesthatconnectgapsalongthetrail.

Volunteers collected 135 surveys at locations along the trail and 99 trail
usersindicatedusingtheMHBHTontheonlinesurvey.Ofthe269surveys
mailedtoadjacentresidentiallandowners,56werereturned.

The MHBHT is adjacent to almost every type of land use in the Capital
Region and connects urban as well as suburban and rural neighborhoods
and towns. There are several parks along the trail that also serve as
trailheads. Annual use is highest at three locations along the trail Lions
Park in Niskayuna, the Barge Restaurant at the Corning Riverfront Park in
AlbanyandtheBoatLaunchattheCorningRiverfrontParkinAlbany.

Bothtrailcountandsurveydatashowacloseto50/50splitofbicyclistsand
walkers/joggersonthetrail.Thesurveysalsoshowapproximatelythesame
gendersplit,withmoremalesthanfemalesusingthetrail.

Trail use increased at all count locations since 2006. The MHBHT attracts
trail users from 45 different zip codes, with use extending throughout the
regionandbeyond.Basedonsurveydata,thetrailattractedthemostusers
from Delmar, Albany, Niskayuna, Troy and Saratoga Springs. The MHBHT
alsohadthehighestnumberofovernightrailusersurveyrespondents,likely
capturingvisitorstravelingtheErieCanalwayTrailfromAlbanytoBuffaloor
portionsinbetween.
Trail User Survey Summary Abouthowmanytimeshaveyouusedthetrailduringthepast
Gender twelvemonths?
Male 76 56.3% Lessthan5days 46 34.1%
Female 56 41.5% 510days 18 13.3%
Skipped 3 2.2% 1124days 22 16.3%
Age 2549days 17 12.6%
Under16 2 1.5% 50100days 15 11.1%
1624 10 7.4% Morethan100days 16 11.9%
2544 36 26.7% Noanswer 1 0.7%
4564 49 36.3% Aretheresectionsofthetrailthatyouavoidduetopoortrail
65orover 36 26.7% conditionsorgeneralconcernsabouttrailmaintenance?
Howdidyougettothetrailtoday? Yes 25 18.5%
Drove 80 59.3% No 95 70.4%
Bicycle 40 29.6% Noanswer 15 11.1%
Walk/Run 13 9.6% Isyourvisittothistrailpartofanovernighttripawayfrom
Other 2 1.5% home?
Whatactivitydidyouengageinwhileonthetrailtoday? Yes 14 10.4%
Walking 51 34.5% No 113 83.7%
Running/Jogging 13 8.8% Noanswer 8 5.9%
Bicycling 77 52.0%
Howwouldyourateyourcurrenthealthstatus
InlineSkating 3 2.0%
Other 4 2.7% Excellent 39 28.9%
Whatisyourprimarypurposeforusingthistrail? VeryGood 62 45.9%
Recreation 66 36.7% Good 20 14.8%
Health/Exercise 98 54.4% Fair 6 4.4%
Commutetoschool/work 8 4.4% Poor 2 1.5%
Other 8 4.4% Noanswer 6 4.4%
 Onascaleof15,towhatextentdoyoufeelthefollowingitemsareproblemsontheMHBHT?

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 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Adjacent Residential Survey Summary Whatistheapproximatecurrentvalueofyourproperty?
Whichofthefollowingmostaccuratelydescribeshowyouuse Lessthan$99,999 1 1.8%
yourpropertyneartheTrail? $100,000199,999 19 33.9%
Itismyprimaryresidence 53 94.6% $200,000299,999 19 33.9%
Irenttoatenant,anddo $300,000399,999 3 5.4%
notoccupytheresidence 0 0.0% $400,000$499,999 6 10.7%
Itismysecondhome 1 1.8% $500,000ormore 0 0.0%
Itisunoccupied 1 1.8% Noanswer 1 1.8%
Other 0 0.0% Howwouldyoudescribethesettingofyourhousenearthe
Noanswer 1 1.8% trail?
Whereisthetrailinrelationtoyourpropertyline? Urban 8 14.3%
Suburban 37 66.1%
Thetrailrunsthroughmy Rural 7 12.5%
property 2 3.6%
Noanswer 1 1.8%
thetrailrunsalongtheedge Whendidyouacquireyourhouse?
ofmyproperty 36 64.3% Afterthetrailwasbuilt 38 67.9%
Thetrailisnearmyproperty BeforetheTrailwasbuilt 17 30.4%
butnottouchingit 17 30.4% Noanswer 1 1.8%
Don'tknow 0 0.0%
Compareyourinitialreactiontotheideaoflivingnearthetrail
Noanswer 1 1.8%
tohowyoufeelaboutlivingnearthetrailtoday.Wouldyousay
Approximatelyhowfar(infeet)istherailtrailfromyourhouse?
thatlivingnearthetrailisbetterorworsethanyouexpectedit
Lessthan100ft. 28 50.0% tobe?
100ft.to199ft. 9 16.1%
Muchbetter 8 14.3%
200ft.to499ft. 13 23.2%
Better 15 26.8%
500ft.ormore 5 8.9%
Same 28 50.0%
Noanswer 1 1.8%
Worse 4 7.1%
Approximatelyhowlargeisyourproperty?
Muchworse 1 1.8%
Lessthan1/2acre 20 35.7%
Between1/2and1acre 16 28.6%
Between1and3acres 12 21.4%
3acresormore 7 12.5%
Noanswer 1 1.8%
Doyoufeelthetrailposesarisktoyourownoryourfamily's
safetyduetotheactivitiesoftrailusers?
Howdoyoufeelthetrailhasaffectedthequalityofyour
Yes 12 21.4% neighborhood?
No 39 69.6% Highlyimproved 8 14.3%
Noopinion 4 7.1% Improved 12 21.4%
Noanswer 1 1.8% Noimpact 28 50.0%
Ifyouweretotryandsellyourproperty,doyouthinkbeing Worsened 7 12.5%
nearthetrailwillmakeitharderoreasiertosell? Completelydeteriorated 0 0.0%
Mucheasier 3 5.4% Noanswer 1 1.8%
Easier 20 35.7% Doyoufeelyourproximitytothetrailhasimprovedyour
Same 26 46.4% physicalactivitylevels?
Harder 4 7.1% Yes 30 53.6%
Muchharder 1 1.8% No 19 33.9%
Noanswer 2 3.6% Notsure 5 8.9%
Howdoyouthinkbeinglocatednearthetrailhasaffectedthe Noanswer 2 3.6%
resalevalueofthisproperty? Doyoufeelthatthedevelopmentandmanagementoftrailisa
Loweredtheresalevalue 4 7.1% gooduseofpublicfunds?
Increasedtheresalevalue 9 16.1% Yes 47 83.9%
Noeffectontheresale No 5 8.9%
value 24 42.9% Noopinion 3 5.4%
Noopinion 17 30.4% Noanswer 1 1.8%
Noanswer 2 3.6% Howoftendothemembersofyourhouseholdusethetrail?
Overall,howsatisfiedareyouwithhavingthetrailasa
Daily 9 16.1%
neighbor?
Frequently 19 33.9%
Verysatisfied 17 30.4%
Occasionally 10 17.9%
Satisfied 18 32.1%
Rarely 9 16.1%
Indifferent 14 25.0%
Never 7 12.5%
Unsatisfied 6 10.7%
Noanswer 2 3.6%
Veryunsatisfied 0 0.0%
Noanswer 1 1.8%
 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 10 20 30 40 50 60

Towhatextentdoyoufeelthatthetrailisimportantinprovidingthefollowingbenefitstothesurroundingcommunity?

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

Locaionforspecialevents

Transportationalternatives

Environmentaleducationopportunities

Openspaceconservation

Waterfrontaccess/revitalization

Toursim&relatedeconomicbenefits

Safeopportunitisforhealthandfitness

Safeopportunitiesforpublicrecreation

0 10 20 30 40 50 60