The last ten years has seen the average King County land property value increase 105 percent and the average of the two urban lake properties increase 140 percent whereas the 330 properties along the Burke-Gilman Trail have increased 99 percent. In 1989 Seattle and King County had to install bicycle police 24 hours a day on the trail to combat the crime and also the excessive speeding and reckless operation of bikers. Since 1989 there have been three murders on the trail and two attempted murders. From reports gleamed from the local media there have been at least three sexual exposure incidents, two rapes, three incidents of body dumping along the trail and numerous other scrapes and incidents between trails users. Conclusion All this points out these trails are not what they have been made out to be by trail proponents.
Trails are private strip parks mainly for bikers.
These trails are developed at great cost to the local government, and at a very high cost to the abutting property owners whose property values are greatly diminished. Great consideration should be given to the adverse effect of any acquisition and condemnation for this type of park use. Another aspect of these trails is the fact most are now funded by the federal and state gas taxes. Next time you complain about road congestion or bad roads think about all your gas tax going to bike trails. 1979 and 1988 property values are from King County microfilm.