All around the area, there’s something new afoot.

From a simple stroll to a power walk, local communities are helping residents rethink how they move throughout their day.

And as sunny skies and warmer temperatures begin to take hold, walkways and trails are blazing a path to better health for individuals and the community as a whole.

In places like Penn Forest Township, there’s been talk of new walking trails. They’re thinking the same way in Bowmanstown, where officials are looking into grant funding for a community pathway. Tamaqua has plans for a walkway along the Little Schuylkill, and to the north, Weatherly has agreed to work with Hazleton on a trail link that would eventually connect Luzerne County to the D&L Trail.

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor released an update this week that along with the Anthracite Scenic Trails Association, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development and Hanover Township, broke ground on an improved section of the D&L Trail in Luzerne County.

The project will transform a previously undeveloped trail segment from Oliver Mills to Mountain Top, commonly known as the Black Diamond Trail.

The effort marks a significant step toward completing the 165-mile D&L Trail from Bristol to Wilkes-Barre, expanding recreational access and strengthening regional connectivity.

Add to that the 9/11 Memorial Trail that would traverse the Panther Valley on its way to Jim Thorpe, and it’s clear that planners at all levels of government are taking note that fitness, nature and mental well-being shouldn’t require a car ride or a gym membership.

Instead, they’re weaving all those things into places where people already live.

In places where people could walk along back road berms and narrow shoulders hoping they’d be seen by drivers, there could soon be a venue for a safe stroll or bike ride.

A local walkway or nearby access to a local trail changes everything.

When these projects are complete, they can turn exercise into something that’s natural, not scheduled like a gym visit.

They’ll give people a safer, more predictable place to walk, bike or just plain sit and enjoy nature regardless of age or income level.

At the same time, those folks will get access to the kind of activity that doctors have been trying to convince everyone to embrace.

The payoff for people can be huge.

Medical studies have shown that just a 10-minute walk in nature can lower stress and anxiety.

It can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and hypertension, not to mention help with weight loss.

Places to walk offer flat, stable surfaces where seniors can stay active deeper into their Golden Years.

They help kids, too, by providing families a place to run or hike and explore.

All these things have been proven to work.

They can be life changing, especially when an after-dinner walk can be done without driving somewhere to do it.

These communities understand the benefits.

Trails aren’t just for recreation. They help connect people and neighborhoods — without phones or screens.

And they help build local economies.

Trails are one of the few investments that can pay for themselves.

Often, property values are higher near trail access points.

They can encourage small businesses like cafes, bike shops or bed-and-breakfast lodging.

Especially in places like the Panther Valley, where they’re looking to increase tourism, a trail can funnel some extra dollars to existing businesses and help rebuild downtowns that have been on the decline for decades.

Here in Carbon County where tourism fuels the economy, trails can help it grow.

The public spaces belong to everyone. Kids riding bikes, seniors out for a stroll and neighbors being able to catch up.

When trails are close enough to reach without driving, they can become a part of daily life.

Communities get can get healthier physically and economically.

Even if it’s just at 2 or 3 miles an hour, it’s certainly a path worth taking.

ED SOCHA | tneditor@tnonline.com

Ed Socha is a retired newspaper editor with more than 45 years’ experience in community journalism.

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.