HLS 202ES-117 ENGROSSED
2020 Second Extraordinary Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 22
BY REPRESENTATIVE TRAVIS JOHNSON
TRANSPORTATION: Urges and requests the Department of Culture, Recreation and
Tourism, office of tourism, to study the feasibility of creating a bike and walking
trail along the Mississippi River in Northeast Louisiana
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism,
3 to study the feasibility of creating a bike and walking trail along the Mississippi
4 River spanning approximately eighty miles, beginning in Vidalia, Louisiana, and
5 ending in East Carroll Parish in Lake Providence and make recommendations in
6 regards to the creation.
7 WHEREAS, according to the Adventure Cycling Association, a leading organization
8that works with government officials, several states have commissioned studies and surveys
9on the economic benefits of bicycle and trail tourism, which contributes significantly to
10economies nationally; and
11 WHEREAS, the BBC Research and Consulting company conducted a recent study
12in Arkansas concluding that bicycling in Northwest Arkansas provides an economic benefit
13of $137 million, with bike tourism serving as an economic driver from tourists spending $27
14million at local businesses each year; and
15 WHEREAS, the research also concluded that houses within .25 miles of the
16Razorback Regional Greenway sell for an average of nearly $15,000 more than houses two
17miles from the trail; and
18 WHEREAS, the Silver Comet Trail Economic Impact Analysis and Planning Study
19concluded that, in its current state, the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia produces
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1approximately $120 million in total expenditures annually throughout the state, supporting
2approximately 1,300 jobs and earnings totaling $37 million; and
3 WHEREAS, the Outdoor Industry Association released a study, The Outdoor
4Recreation Economy, finding that bicycling participants spend $83 billion on bicycle tourism
5and generate $97 billion in retail spending; and
6 WHEREAS, additionally, the findings concluded that bicycle recreation spending
7contributes to the creation of 848,000 jobs; and
8 WHEREAS, the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis included outdoor
9recreation for the first time in its 2018 study, estimating the economic output of outdoor
10recreation to be $734 billion, surpassing multiple industries such as agriculture, petroleum
11and coal, and computer and electronic products; and
12 WHEREAS, the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates bicycling contributes to $96
13million in annual retail sales; and
14 WHEREAS, in a recent study, the Active Transportation Transforms America
15estimated an economic value of $34 billion with active transportation infrastructure in its
16current state, based on the economic value derived from trails from retail sales, tourism, the
17increase in property value, and the attraction from companies desiring to do business in these
18up-and-coming areas; and
19 WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define active
20transportation as any human-powered means of transportation, such as walking or bicycling,
21and link physical inactivity to the steady rise in rates of chronic health conditions in the
22United States such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and strokes; and
23 WHEREAS, trails provide affordable exercise and recreation opportunities within
24the community and can aid in increasing the overall health of people in communities due to
25an increase in outdoor activities; and
26 WHEREAS, Louisiana is one of the most beautiful places in the country,
27encompassing the mighty Mississippi River, countless lakes, and all of the magnificent
28wonders of nature right at our fingertips, and an increase in tourism would provide an
29economic increase to further beautify this great state; and
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1 WHEREAS, Louisiana's next big project, "DELTA TRAIL...On the Mississippi
2River", a bike and walking trail along the Mississippi River, will attract a huge amount of
3tourism to Northeast Louisiana and will be built along the levee, allowing people to see more
4of Louisiana in all of its facets throughout numerous parishes; and
5 WHEREAS, the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism,
6shall provide information and make written recommendations on the creation of the DELTA
7TRAIL in Northeast Louisiana, beginning in Vidalia, Louisiana, and ending in East Carroll
8Parish in Lake Providence; and
9 WHEREAS, the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism's
10recommendations shall include the following:
11 (1) Identification of bicycle tourism trail routes and the benefits of bicycle tourism
12trails.
13 (2) Design criteria.
14 (3) Estimated costs.
15 (4) Ideas for stakeholder engagement.
16 (5) Sustainability and best practices.
17 (6) Challenges with bicycle planning and development.
18 WHEREAS, the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism,
19shall address objectives for the tourism trail routes that establish the criteria for route
20locations, maps routes, and connect existing bicycle, transit, rail, vehicle, and pedestrian
21networks with potential tourism trails; and
22 WHEREAS, the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism,
23shall address objectives for fostering the development of safe bicycle tourism trails that
24establish the design criteria for various bikeway accommodations, provide guidance to
25identify or coordinate bikeway connections statewide, and provide guidance to identify costs
26associated with development of various bikeway accommodations; and
27 WHEREAS, the DELTA TRAIL will span approximately eighty miles long, with
28five rest areas along the way for campers, RVs, and vehicles to enjoy; and
29 WHEREAS, the trail will also include strategically placed benches and historical
30markers throughout Concordia, Tensas, Madison, and East Carroll parishes; and
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1 WHEREAS, the DELTA TRAIL will be a tourist attraction that yields a large
2economic benefit for the state of Louisiana derived from retail sales and tourism, serve as
3an active transportation tool to aid in increasing the overall health of people in the
4communities, attract companies desiring to do business in these up-and-coming areas, and
5increase property values in Northeast Louisiana.
6 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
7urge and request the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism, to
8study the feasibility of creating a bike and walking trail along the Mississippi River spanning
9approximately eighty miles, beginning in Vidalia, Louisiana, and ending in East Carroll
10Parish in Lake Providence and make recommendations in regards to the creation.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Culture, Recreation and
12Tourism, office of tourism, shall submit a written report to the House Committee on
13Transportation, Highways and Public Works and the Senate Committee on Transportation,
14Highways and Public Works detailing its findings and recommendations for the creation of
15a bike trail along the Mississippi River in Northeast Louisiana prior to March 1, 2021.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
17to the secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 22 Engrossed 2020 Second Extraordinary Session Travis Johnson
Urges and requests the Dept. of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism, to study
the feasibility of creating a bike and walking trail along the Mississippi River spanning
approximately 80 miles beginning in Vidalia, La., and ending in East Carroll Parish in Lake
Providence. Requires a written report relative to the creation of the bike trail be submitted
to the House and Senate Committees on Transportation, Highways and Public Works prior
to March 1, 2021.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Transportation,
Highways and Public Works to the original bill:
1. Make technical changes.
2. Add a provision to provide a date for the written recommendations by the
Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism, to be
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submitted to the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public
Works and the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways, and Public
Works.
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