Yes and yes. One less car on the road relieves congestion for other commuters. While some homeowners may be concerned about converting nearby abandoned railroads to trails, there's no question that it will increase resale value (beautiful, quiet, paved 25 mile nature trail out my back gate? Sold!). I've seen every cross section of society utilizing these trails, including infants, elderly and severely handicapped. One worthwhile consideration: pavement is a must. Gravel roads are simply less accessible.