Columbia trails to get new mile markers | Local | columbiamissourian.com

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

Nine city recreation trails are about to get a new look. . . .

"We haven't had a new trail guide since 2006," Janet Godon, the city's GetAbout Columbia Outreach Coordinator, said. "We didn't have the funding."

She said that about 120 mile markers will be installed across the nine trails in Columbia. The markers will include miles covered, the name of the trail, the managing agency of the trail and contact information for emergency or maintenance requests.

Link: 

Columbia trails to get new mile markers | Local | columbiamissourian.com

MoBikeFed comment: The project also includes trail guides, bicycling maps, and wayfinding. The new signs clearly indicate to users which trail(s) they are on and the exact location on the trail.

Wayfinding is an oft-overlooked element of trail systems. Wayfinding is just as important for trail systems as it is for road systems or any other transportation system.

We would dream of installing a road system without street signs at every intersection and directional signs in key locations. Yet we install miles of complex trails systems without a wayfinding or location sign anywhere.

As the Columbia Missourian's investigators found, some people who are already extremely familiar with the local trails have a hard time understanding why wayfinding is so important. These are people who already use the trails daily and know them inside and out. They, personally, don't need wayfinding or location markers.

But wayfinding is vital to attract new and novice users and is essential for tourists and visitors to the area.

And best of all, wayfinding is extremely inexpensive--just a infinitesimally small part of the total cost of the trails.

More Missouri communities should follow Columbia's lead and include thorough mapping, wayfinding, and mile markers on their trail systems.