A town converted an unused railway line into a walking path. At first, planners evaluated the project by measuring the number of people who crossed its entrances. A local shopkeeper pointed out that these counts said little about whether the path connected places people needed to reach. Walkers could enter, enjoy a short section, and leave at the same point. The planners therefore observed where people turned back and asked which destinations they had hoped to visit. A busy road separated the path from the market, while a locked gate blocked access to a bus stop. Opening a safe crossing and negotiating access through the gate did not make the path longer. It made the existing length function differently. The project illustrates why the value of a route lies partly in its connections: adding distance and improving access may appear similar on a map but solve different problems for those who use it.