Graduate student Tanner Marlow often enjoys riding his bike around the Mississippi State University campus. However, he says the lack of longer bike trails in the area makes it harder to receive the full benefits of bike-riding.

“I can ride my bike on the roads here at the university. But where can I ride for a very long time? Pretty much nowhere,” Marlow said. 

That scarcity of long, off-street biking options is one reason volunteers have been working for years to turn the abandoned railroads in Starkville into trail systems. But those plans could be threatened by House Resolution 4924 from U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, a Republican from Missouri, that would restrict or eliminate “railbanking,” the federal process allowing inactive rail lines to be converted to public trails.

The Starkville project, developed with Innovative Rail Partners, would connect Ackerman, Sturgis, Starkville and West Point. Organizers envision about 40 miles of walking and biking paths, linking towns and providing safer, longer routes for recreation and commuting. Supporters of Starkville’s proposed 40-mile trail say the measure could halt their project before it begins, and even endanger existing ones such as the popular Tanglefoot Trail in New Albany.

Johnny Mack Morrow, a former Alabama State Representative and an MSU alumnus, discussed his feelings about the bill that forced the project’s halt.

“I don’t know what his intent is except to destroy railbanking,” Morrow said. “It’s a bad idea for the government to authorize a project like this and something that the public is enjoying every day. Then, all of a sudden it gets taken away. That’s wrong.”

The legislation has surprised local leaders, including former Sturgis Mayor Leah Brown.

“I find it interesting,” Brown said. “I’m not really sure where that’s coming from. None of us do.”

Marlow explained that the benefits to the Starkville and surrounding communities are simple. 

“You’re investing in the economies outside of Starkville and the economies inside Starkville,” Marlow said. 

Additionally, tourism in the city of Starkville and the surrounding areas would improve due to the demand for agro-tourism, especially in Mississippi.

One example is the popular Tanglefoot Trail. The trail is about 40 miles and has visitors from all over the United States and other countries. The Tanglefoot Trail has helped increase New Albany’s tourism.

Montey Sneed, who has worked on over 40 rails-to-trails projects, explained that based on how these trails have affected other cities, he can say that having a walking and biking trail would help Starkville.

“It’ll help you. Look at Tanglefoot,” Sneed said. “For example, everything that has been built, like houses along the trail so the kids can ride bikes and commute.”

Not only could a walking and biking trail help the community of Starkville, but the trail could also benefit the MSU community. The trail would run through Starkville and near campus, making it easy for students to commute to campus instead of having to drive to campus every day. Marlow said that there are three major pros for students if the new trail were to be finished. 

“One, health. It would help well-being and give students a place to exercise. Number two, students would have the opportunity to maybe cut down on the amount of cars on campus,” Marlow said. “Number three is the economy, which secondarily affects students.”

Despite concerns over the rail-banking bill, advocates of the Rails-to-Trails project are encouraging community members to support their initiative.

“Hopefully, it doesn’t get passed. That’s my hope,” Brown said. “The benefits far outweigh anything else, and you have, of course, the economic impact. You’ve also got to remind people that the trail can be used to make us a healthier community.”

Morrow is hoping for the best scenario regarding this newly introduced bill — that it does not make it far.

“Let’s kill it while it’s in the house,” Morrow said.