Both of you are right on when it comes to our planning. The commission's intent is to get ahead of the game by identifying the most useful places to develop non-motorized facilities. They are not intending to develop pathways, linear parks or rail trails (those are primarily funded privately). Their focus is on the routes which will be most useful to cyclists and pedestrians for transportation, if an existing or developing trail project fills part of that need fine, but they are focused upon using existing right of way and the best ways to integrate motorized and non-motorized transportation.
For instance, in the meeting we just had we identified 4 different routes in and out of the county which would be attractive for cycling. One of them, a pet project of my own for the past few years, will be a 16 mile segment of county roads which will connect trail projects being developed between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo and another between Grand Rapids and Lansing. The road commission intends to apply for federal enhancement funds to provide the addition of bike lanes along the 16 mile route.
In Michigan, our road commissions are required to spend 10% of their budget on non-motorized facilities, but, from what they tell me, that gets used up quickly just on maintaining pedestrian crosswalks, sidewalks, curb cuts etc. So the funding issue is a constant problem. Most projects get done in coincidence with pavement overlays, but with Michigan funding down as it is, most of that is on hold and may not be rescheduled in our area for 10 to 15 years.