The recent enactment a state law makes our highways safer by increasing penalties against individuals who drive under the influence of alcohol. For the first time, Pennsylvania is prosecuting some drunken driving offenses as felonies.

This past week, a group of Adams Township residents discussed plans to protect those who traverse the county’s roads by foot or bicycle. We applaud their efforts.

Trail Adams Area is an organization that launched as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit two years ago. It has dedicated itself to the creation of a trail network connecting communities across southwest Butler County.

Pete Ferraro, one of the group’s founders, said that he was driving on Myoma Road one night in October when he nearly struck a runner dressed in black on the road. Such encounters, he said, make a compelling case for the trail network.

Shelley Wood, another cofounder, said she used to frequently walk in the road when she moved to Adams two decades ago. However, the town’s roads are increasingly more congested and dangerous as the area has become more developed. She said Trail Adams Area’s focus is to get people on foot, children and bicyclists off the road and onto paths where they’d be safe from motor traffic.

So far, the group has drawn Adams residents, but also people from Middlesex Township, Mars, Valencia and Cranberry Township, where 22-year-old bicyclist Alek Teimouri was struck and killed late last year by an alleged drunken driver while riding in the road on the way home from work.

While the group is still in its early stages and specifics on the trails and funding options have yet to be discussed in greater detail, the proposal is a compelling one. Walking or riding a bicycle in the road at night can be dangerous, both for pedestrians and drivers, so any idea that can separate the two is an idea worth considering.

Aside from the safety component, Trail Adams Area’s proposal would also encourage residents to take part in recreational activities on the trails, such as biking, hiking, walking, running or horseback riding.

The group’s members said that local developers and homeowners have been receptive to the trail proposal. It’s easy to see why, especially considering that the group has been making an effort to work with the community in developing the plan. Although the details of the plan might eventually determine whether it becomes a reality, we agree that a series of trails that would keep people on foot and behind the wheel safe, while also providing open space for recreation, is an idea that the community should get behind.