HLS 202ES-117 REENGROSSED
2020 Second Extraordinary Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 22
BY REPRESENTATIVE TRAVIS JOHNSON AND SENATOR JACKSON AND
REPRESENTATIVES ADAMS, BRASS, BRYANT, BUTLER, GARY CARTER,
CORMIER, COX, CREWS, DUPLESSIS, FREEMAN, FREIBERG, GADBERRY,
GAINES, HARRIS, HUGHES, JAMES, JEFFERSON, JENKINS, MIKE
JOHNSON, JONES, LACOMBE, LARVADAIN, LYONS, MOORE, NEWELL,
CHARLES OWEN, SELDERS, THOMPSON, TURNER, AND W ILLARD
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 in consultation with the Department of Transportation and Development to study the
4 feasibility of creating a bike and walking trail along the Mississippi River spanning
5 approximately eighty miles, beginning in Vidalia, Louisiana, and ending in East
6 Carroll Parish in Lake Providence and make recommendations in regards to the
7 creation.
8 WHEREAS, according to the Adventure Cycling Association, a leading organization
9that works with government officials, several states have commissioned studies and surveys
10on the economic benefits of bicycle and trail tourism, which contributes significantly to
11economies nationally; and
12 WHEREAS, the BBC Research and Consulting company conducted a recent study
13in Arkansas concluding that bicycling in Northwest Arkansas provides an economic benefit
14of $137 million, with bike tourism serving as an economic driver from tourists spending $27
15million at local businesses each year; and
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1 WHEREAS, the research also concluded that houses within .25 miles of the
2Razorback Regional Greenway sell for an average of nearly $15,000 more than houses two
3miles from the trail; and
4 WHEREAS, the Silver Comet Trail Economic Impact Analysis and Planning Study
5concluded that, in its current state, the Silver Comet Trail in Georgia produces
6approximately $120 million in total expenditures annually throughout the state, supporting
7approximately 1,300 jobs and earnings totaling $37 million; and
8 WHEREAS, the Outdoor Industry Association released a study, The Outdoor
9Recreation Economy, finding that bicycling participants spend $83 billion on bicycle tourism
10and generate $97 billion in retail spending; and
11 WHEREAS, additionally, the findings concluded that bicycle recreation spending
12contributes to the creation of 848,000 jobs; and
13 WHEREAS, the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis included outdoor
14recreation for the first time in its 2018 study, estimating the economic output of outdoor
15recreation to be $734 billion, surpassing multiple industries such as agriculture, petroleum
16and coal, and computer and electronic products; and
17 WHEREAS, the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates bicycling contributes to $96
18million in annual retail sales; and
19 WHEREAS, in a recent study, the Active Transportation Transforms America
20estimated an economic value of $34 billion with active transportation infrastructure in its
21current state, based on the economic value derived from trails from retail sales, tourism, the
22increase in property value, and the attraction from companies desiring to do business in these
23up-and-coming areas; and
24 WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define active
25transportation as any human-powered means of transportation, such as walking or bicycling,
26and link physical inactivity to the steady rise in rates of chronic health conditions in the
27United States such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and strokes; and
28 WHEREAS, trails provide affordable exercise and recreation opportunities within
29the community and can aid in increasing the overall health of people in communities due to
30an increase in outdoor activities; and
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1 WHEREAS, Louisiana is one of the most beautiful places in the country,
2encompassing the mighty Mississippi River, countless lakes, and all of the magnificent
3wonders of nature right at our fingertips, and an increase in tourism would provide an
4economic increase to further beautify this great state; and
5 WHEREAS, Louisiana's next big project, "DELTA TRAIL...On the Mississippi
6River", a bike and walking trail along the Mississippi River, will attract a huge amount of
7tourism to Northeast Louisiana and will be built along the levee, allowing people to see more
8of Louisiana in all of its facets throughout numerous parishes; and
9 WHEREAS, the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism,
10in consultation with the Department of Transportation and Development shall provide
11information and make written recommendations on the creation of the DELTA TRAIL in
12Northeast Louisiana, beginning in Vidalia, Louisiana, and ending in East Carroll Parish in
13Lake Providence; and
14 WHEREAS, the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism,
15in consultation with the Department of Transportation and Development's recommendations
16shall include the following:
17 (1) Identification of bicycle tourism trail routes and the benefits of bicycle tourism
18trails.
19 (2) Design criteria.
20 (3) Estimated costs.
21 (4) Ideas for stakeholder engagement.
22 (5) Sustainability and best practices.
23 (6) Challenges with bicycle planning and development.
24 WHEREAS, the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism,
25in consultation with the Department of Transportation and Development shall address
26objectives for the tourism trail routes that establish the criteria for route locations, maps
27routes, and connect existing bicycle, transit, rail, vehicle, and pedestrian networks with
28potential tourism trails; and
29 WHEREAS, the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism,
30in consultation with the Department of Transportation and Development shall address
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1objectives for fostering the development of safe bicycle tourism trails that establish the
2design criteria for various bikeway accommodations, provide guidance to identify or
3coordinate bikeway connections statewide, and provide guidance to identify costs associated
4with development of various bikeway accommodations; and
5 WHEREAS, the DELTA TRAIL will span approximately eighty miles long, with
6five rest areas along the way for campers, RVs, and vehicles to enjoy; and
7 WHEREAS, the trail will also include strategically placed benches and historical
8markers throughout Concordia, Tensas, Madison, and East Carroll parishes; and
9 WHEREAS, the DELTA TRAIL will be a tourist attraction that yields a large
10economic benefit for the state of Louisiana derived from retail sales and tourism, serve as
11an active transportation tool to aid in increasing the overall health of people in the
12communities, attract companies desiring to do business in these up-and-coming areas, and
13increase property values in Northeast Louisiana.
14 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
15urge and request the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism, in
16consultation with the Department of Transportation and Development to study the feasibility
17of creating a bike and walking trail along the Mississippi River spanning approximately
18eighty miles, beginning in Vidalia, Louisiana, and ending in East Carroll Parish in Lake
19Providence and make recommendations in regards to the creation.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Culture, Recreation and
21Tourism, office of tourism, in consultation with the Department of Transportation and
22Development shall submit a written report to the House Committee on Transportation,
23Highways and Public Works and the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways, and
24Public Works detailing its findings and recommendations for the creation of a bike trail
25along the Mississippi River in Northeast Louisiana prior to March 1, 2021.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
27to the secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism, and
28the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development.
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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 Reengrossed2020 Second Extraordinary Session Travis Johnson
Urges and requests the Dept. of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism, in
consultation with the Dept. of Transportation and Development to study the feasibility of
creating a bike and walking trail along a specific portion of the Mississippi River. Requires
that 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 Dept.
of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, office of tourism, to be submitted to the
House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works and the Senate
Committee on Transportation, Highways, and Public Works.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Add the Dept. of Transportation and Development to the feasibility study of
creating a bike and walking trail along the Mississippi River in Northeast La.
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