The Copiah County Bike and Pedestrian trail initiative will provide access to its three largest communities - Crystal Springs, Hazlehurst, and Wesson (see figure 1). The design also includes the transformation of a historic public building into a County Intermodal Center. The complete trail will consist of 32.88 miles. The county does not have a public transport system and a bike and pedestrian trail with links to highway 51, which connects the county from the north-end to the south-end, will help to fill this gap. These three communities provide the schools, jobs, and healthcare for the entire population of the county. The trail will provide a safe means of travel for people who do not drive or do not have access to an automobile. The county has an obesity rate of 37.8% and diabetes rate of 13.2%. People living under the poverty level generally fall in these categories because of a sedentary life style and the inability to travel safely without an automobile. Copiah County with a population of 28,275 has a poverty rate of 23.8% and Hazlehurst, which is the county seat, has a 36% poverty rate (census.gov) as well as a large visually impaired population. Making cycling safer and facilitating additional cycling and walking will provide substantial public benefits. A bike/pedestrian route would be a viable option for tourists on the blues and heritage trail as well. |
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