Economic & Health Impact of the Trails

All outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania provided more jobs than the production of durable goods with an economic contribution of $17 billion in salary and wages and generating over $300 million in taxes, according to a 2016 study prepared for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation  Partnership by Southwick Associates.

The health impact of outdoor recreation is so much more than a monetary figure, but if we are to assign a dollar amount it is now estimated that the health care savings to a community (not including the employer) are an average of about $10 per trail user per year.  According to research being reviewed by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.   Although the saving per year per trail user does not sound like a lot it does add up, and it should also be considered that users of outdoor recreation on a whole typically lead healthier lifestyles. 

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The reports linked below show how trails on the network of trails for the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail are adding value to our community.