How trails enhance our quality of life and boost the economy

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Julie Clark, chief executive officer at the Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails.

Clark talks about how she and her family made their way from North Carolina to Traverse City and embraced the northern Michigan outdoors.

TART is among many organizations around the state with leaders working with local, state and federal government agencies, as well as foundations and private donors, to grow Michigan’s trail network.

In 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released statistics estimating that outdoor recreation accounted for $862 billion in economic output (consumer spending), 1.9 percent (or $454 billion) of gross domestic product (GDP), and supported 4.5 million jobs. In Michigan, outdoor recreation in 2021 contributed $10.8 billion to the state economy, as well as supported 109,000 jobs and $5 billion in wages.