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RTC TrailBlog

  • Trails: as Diverse as the American People They Serve

    National Trails Day, June 1, is a many-splendored thing, because the trails it celebrates cover such a vast spectrum. Trails are long and short, urban and rural, for taking a gentle stroll through the wilderness and for picking up the groceries.

    Trails have become as diverse and varied as the American people they serve. As America has changed over the decades, so too has the humble trail evolved into an important part of everyday life for millions of people.

    National Trails Day is the perfect moment to celebrate the trail that you use and appreciate, whatever its size, shape or style. Hosted by the American Hiking Society, National Trails Day offers a wide variety of community events, hikes and rides, demonstrations and work parties to get involved in.

    National Trails Day is also the perfect excuse to simply get out on your local trail and enjoy it however you can. One of the most potent forms of advocacy is just being on the trail, using it whenever you can, demonstrating support with your presence.

    For those friends looking for that next level of involvement on National Trails Day, here's a few RTC things happening around National Trails Day.

    Senior RTC executive staff (the head honchos) will join Wisconsin Congressman Tom Petri to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new rail-trail project in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the latest improvement made possible by the terrific Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program. (May 31, 11:30 a.m., Workers' Water Street Park). More info: marianne@railstotrails.org.

    RTC's Eric Oberg, Friends of the Little Miami Scenic Trail and REI will host a community working bee on the Friends of the Little Miami Scenic Trail. More info: eric@railstotrails.org.

    In California, our manager of trail development in the west, Barry Bergman, will be at the Compton Creek Trail where local residents will continue their hard work improving this underused pathway. He'll also announce the winners of the first annual Compton Creek Art Competition. More info: barry@railstotrails.org.

    If you're anywhere near southern Illinois, we strongly encourage you to check out the shebang along the Tunnel Hill State Trail. Featured in the most recent edition of Rails to Trails magazine, this 47.5-mile rail-trail is truly both a spectacular and serene ride. On June 1, the Taste of Tunnel Hill Trail Bike Ride is the perfect opportunity to ride the trail and sample some delicious local produce. Good deal. More info: www.tunnelhilltrail.com.

    Whatever you get up to on National Trails Day, have a good one! 

    Photo of the Met Branch Trail in Washington, D.C., by RTC
    Photo of Tunnel Hill State Trail courtesy TrailLink.com

     

  • Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Iron County, Utah

    RECEIVE RAILROAD ABANDONMENT NOTICES FOR YOUR STATE VIA E-MAIL

    On or about May 17, 2013, Union Pacific Railroad Company filed for the abandonment of 1.03 miles of track within Cedar City in Iron County, Utah. We are providing this information because it presents an opportunity to develop a real regional asset: a multi-use trail that can accommodate hikers, bikers, equestrians and other appropriate uses.

    NEXT STEPS: If this corridor is suitable for trail use, we strongly urge local trail advocates, or an appropriate local, regional or state agency or organization, to take action now. A "boiler plate" letter (found here) can be filed with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the abandoning railroad using STB docket number AB-33 (sub-no. 283x). Filing this letter does not commit its authors to acquire the corridor; it merely gives time to develop a rail-trail proposal and undertake negotiations with the railroad. According to the information we have received, the deadline for filing this letter is July 1, 2013. Even if this deadline is missed, there is probably still time to contact the relevant parties, since the railroad may have experienced a delay in filing all of the paperwork, or the STB may still have jurisdiction over the corridor. However, it is important to take prompt action. The STB posts all abandonment decisions and filings on its Web site, including the complete filing for this corridor. More information on the rail corridor, including a map, can be found in this filing.

    The STB has imposed a $200 filing fee for all railbanking requests. Entities filing a railbanking request may request a fee waiver or reduction, and government agencies will receive an automatic fee waiver. Throughout the process, make sure local government officials and citizen activists are kept informed of the project's progress. We also recommend contacting your state trails coordinator or your state bicycle/pedestrian coordinator.

    Both of these individuals are knowledgeable about state laws and resources and may be able to assist your community with this rail-trail project. Also, you may want to contact the abandoning railroad to add your name to their service list.

    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE: RTC's Web site may provide valuable tools as you plan for a rail-trail, including how-to manuals, the Trail-Building Toolbox, our Publications Library and the Trails & Greenways Listserv for trail advocates and professionals. These resources can be found within the "Trail-Building" section of our Web site. If you take advantage of this information and other resources promptly, you will be well on your way to creating a successful rail-trail in your community. For more information, or if you decide to pursue railbanking, please contact Kelly Pack at kellyp@railstotrails.org.

    Photo of Coal Creek Trail in Cedar City, Utah, courtesy TrailLink.com

  • Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Franklin and Hardin counties, and in Wright County, Iowa

    RECEIVE RAILROAD ABANDONMENT NOTICES FOR YOUR STATE VIA E-MAIL

    On May 16, 2013, North Central Railway Association filed for the abandonment of 10.46 miles of track between Geneva and Ackley within Franklin and Hardin counties in Iowa (Google Maps image, right).

    And on May 15, 2013, Union Pacific Railroad Company filed for the abandonment of 0.5 mile of track just north of the city of Belmond within Wright County, Iowa. The corridor is adjacent to the existing Franklin Grove Heritage Trail.

    We are providing this information because it presents an opportunity to develop multi-use trails that can accommodate hikers, bikers, equestrians and other appropriate uses.

    NEXT STEPS: If either of these corridors are suitable for trail use, we strongly urge local trail advocates, or an appropriate local, regional or state agency or organization, to take action now. A "boiler plate" letter (found here) can be filed with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the abandoning railroad using STB docket number AB-586 (sub-no. 3x), for the corridor in Franklin and Hardin counties. For the corridor in Wright County, use STP docket number AB-33 (sub-no. 292x).

    Filing this letter does not commit its authors to acquire the corridor; it merely gives time to develop a rail-trail proposal and undertake negotiations with the railroad. According to the information we have received, the deadline for filing this letter is June 30, 2013. Even if this deadline is missed, there is probably still time to contact the relevant parties, since the railroad may have experienced a delay in filing all of the paperwork, or the STB may still have jurisdiction over the corridor. However, it is important to take prompt action. The STB posts all abandonment decisions and filings on its Web site, including the complete filing for this corridor. More information on the rail corridor, including a map, can be found in this filing.

    The STB has imposed a $200 filing fee for all railbanking requests. Entities filing a railbanking request may request a fee waiver or reduction, and government agencies will receive an automatic fee waiver. Throughout the process, make sure local government officials and citizen activists are kept informed of the project's progress. We also recommend contacting your state trails coordinator or your state bicycle/pedestrian coordinator.

    Both of these individuals are knowledgeable about state laws and resources and may be able to assist your community with this rail-trail project. Also, you may want to contact the abandoning railroad to add your name to their service list.

    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE: RTC's Web site may provide valuable tools as you plan for a rail-trail, including how-to manuals, the Trail-Building Toolbox, our Publications Library and the Trails & Greenways Listserv for trail advocates and professionals. These resources can be found within the "Trail-Building" section of our Web site. If you take advantage of this information and other resources promptly, you will be well on your way to creating a successful rail-trail in your community. For more information, or if you decide to pursue railbanking, please contact Kelly Pack at kellyp@railstotrails.org.

  • Follow The Money: Making a Strong Case for Investing in Trails

    The ability to convince leaders and lawmakers of the economic justification for investing in trails, biking and walking has become a critical part of trail building in these fiscally-challenging times.

    Fortunately for those of us working toward more options for active transportation, investments in this infrastructure produce remarkable returns and have transformative effects on communities large and small, impressively out of proportion to the comparatively small budgets involved.

    To borrow from boxing parlance, when it comes to value for money, trails punch well above their weight.

    For example, the design, engineering and construction of walking and biking facilities has been shown to create more jobs per dollar than any other type of transportation infrastructure construction. And multi-year investments in destination trail systems across America routinely recoup that investment in a short period of time in the form of trails tourism spending.

    The fiscal arguments for why our state and federal governments should make investing in biking and walking an economic priority are very strong. Which is why RTC and the Partnership for Active Transportation put together this handy two-page fact sheet on the economic impact of trails, to help advocates and trail champions make the case in their local communities. (Click the page to the right to download the fact sheet).

    We hope you find it a useful tool. Be sure to share this, and other RTC economic impact resources and stories, with your peers and colleagues in trail building.

     The Partnership for Active Transportation, of which RTC is a member, is a collaboration of health, economic development and transportation advocates working for greater investment in biking, walking and trails. The Partnership helps local governments realize the economic benefits of robust, inter-connected networks of trails and active transportation facilities. You can learn more about the Partnership and endorse the Declaration of Active Transportation at www.partnership4at.org

     

     

  • In Michigan, Hart-Montague Trail to be Renamed for Bill Fields, Farmer and Rail-Trail Champion

    The story of America's rail-trails is rich with characters like the late Bill Field. The Michigan farmer is known and loved by people in this state as the unstoppable force behind the creation of the Hart-Montague Trail State Park, one of the America's great rural rail-trails.

    A big man with a booming voice and a presence that always made itself known in a room, Field visited the Elroy-Sparta State Trail in Wisconsin in the late 1970s and returned to Michigan determined to develop a trail through the abandoned railroad corridor that stretched from Hart to Montague, tracks that he grew up around.

    The project became known as "Field's Folly." When Field (right) received no support from his fellow county officials for the rail-trail project, he took matters into his own hands, buying the property himself and donating the land, valued at $225,000, to the state.

    Though many people laughed at "Field's Folly" then, no one is laughing now. The Hart-Montague Trail State Park is renowned by trail enthusiasts everywhere, and attracts thousands of visitors to the region each year.

    So it is wonderful to see that the trail Field worked so hard for will now bear his name. Thanks to the efforts of Michigan State Senator Goeff Hansen (R-Hart.), legislation has been passed to rename the trail the William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail State Park. It is a fitting tribute to one of our nation's staunchest trail advocates, and a man who left a terrific legacy for the people of Michigan.

    To learn more about Field's early struggles to build the trail, and the success it became, read Laura Stark's wonderful story on the Hart-Montague Trail State Park which was RTC's Trail of the Month for April.

    Photo of Bill Field courtesy Joel Mikkelsen

     

     

  • TrailLink.com a Driver of the Booming Trails Movement

    The incredible growth in popularity of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's free trail-finder website, TrailLink.com, is testimony to the fact that people everywhere are bursting at the seams for opportunities to ride, walk, skate or run for recreation or transportation. The great challenge we face is in making sure we can develop trails fast enough to keep up with that demand.

    With 24,169 miles of accurate GIS trail maps now vetted and available, TrailLink.com is playing a critical role in both encouraging and satisfying that demand. By helping connect people with trails near them, it is directly boosting trail users numbers and an awareness of options for biking and walking, which in turn boosts the level of support for continued investment in this infrastructure. Incidentally, it also draws attention to those regions that are not providing trail options. No one wants to be left off the map!

    So it was great to see TrailLink.com recognized for its overall excellence at the California Trails and Greenways Conference earlier this month. The award gave credit to TrailLink.com as a powerful resource for providing useful, up-to-date information about trails around the country.

    From us here at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, we greatly appreciate the TrailLink.com users who have contributed content, photos, and reviews to this rapidly growing database!

    Here's an idea of just how often people turn to TrailLink.com for free information and advice on trails across the country: in the past 12 months, TrailLink.com has seen more than 4.1 million visitors viewing more than 28 million pages.

    Some more good news for trail users -- we are putting the finishing touches on a mobile TrailLink iOS app, which should be ready by summer of this year! 

     

     

  • Inspired by Beloved City Rail-Trail, Kansas Keeps on Rolling

    Another Midwestern metropolis doing great things to improve its bike- and walkability - Kansas City.

    Rails-to-Trails Conservancy was contacted recently by the office of newly-elected Mayor Mark Holland, who, just a few short weeks into the job has expressed an interest in continuing the development of KC's burgeoning trail system.

    At the heart of that system is the Riverfront Heritage Trail, a 10-mile paved rail-trail and bike and pedestrian pathway that begins at the riverfront and winds through Kansas City on both sides of the border. Its utility has so impressed community leaders in KC that there is energy to expand the Riverfront Heritage Trail, and its value to the community has inspired the completion of a number of other trail projects in the state, some of which are set to open in the coming months.

    The Meadowlark Trail has been in development since the 1990s, but it looks like it's finally set to open after nearly two decades of work. The corridor was railbanked in 1997 by Central Kansas Conservancy, which has been negotiating with local landowners on the trail's construction since that time.

    The Meadowlark Trail will connect with the existing Valkommen Trail (right) in Lindsborg, which occupies another rail corridor which was preserved for trail development by the railbanking process. In the future, the Meadowlark Trail will connect with the planned Sunflower to Santa Fe Trail in McPherson, which when complete will run for more than 30 miles west to Marion.

    As if this isn't enough, the Southwind Rail Trail is also set to open in June. The Southwind Rail Trail runs for about 6.5 miles between Iola and Humboldt, and is being worked on by the Sunflower Rail-Trails Conservancy, which railbanked the corridor in 2011. In Iola, the trail will connect directly to the existing 50-mile Prairie Spirit Rail-Trail.

    Not only is it terrific to see Kansas' leaders supportive of investing in bike and pedestrian infrastructure which makes the region a more attractive place to live and do business, it is also great to witness the railbanking process in action - preserving America's disused rail corridors as assets for the American people.

    Photo courtesy www.traillink.com

     

  • California: Gov. Brown Threatening to Erode Funding for Trails, Biking and Walking

    For more than 25 years, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has fought for dedicated funding for trail development. We secured this funding back in 1991 with the creation of the Transportation Enhancements program, (which was renamed Transportation Alternatives in the recent federal bill) and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). Now, that funding is in jeopardy in California.

    RTP may be eliminated. Governor Jerry Brown's administration has indicated they plan to opt out of the RTP, which means elimination of the program in California. RTP is the only dedicated and sustainable source of funding for trail development, and also the only funding source available for maintenance activities.

    RTP is essential to enhancing California's outdoor recreation industry. Please don't let the Governor eliminate this program which has been so successful for our state and many others.

    The Governor has proposed consolidating multiple programs that fund trails into a new Active Transportation Program. We need to ensure that trail projects will continue to be a priority in this new structure.

    Our ask is simple: send a letter to Gov. Brown and your state legislators to keep the RTP as a distinct, successful program administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and ensure that bicycle and pedestrian trails and pathways are a priority in the proposed Active Transportation Program.

    Here are all the resources you need to make this important ask.

    A sample letter to Governor Brown: 4035.Sample Letter to Governor Brown.docx 

    A link to find your state legislator.

    Background information about RTP: 2742.Background about RTP.pdf

    The local projects it has funded: 4061.Projects Funded by RTP.pdf

    For more information, or to get involved, please email me at our Western Regional Office, or call 415-814-1100.

    Thank you for your support of trails and active transportation in California.

     

     

  • From City to Coast, Salmonberry Corridor has Huge Potential for Oregon

    Support is building for the development of an 84-mile section of underutilized rail-corridor between the western reaches of Portland and the Oregon coastline. Known as the Salmonberry Corridor, the line that once carried the Port of Tillamook Bay railroad now presents an opportunity for what would certainly be one of the country's most spectacular rail-trails, and a trails tourism lifeline for the region.

    The Salmonberry Corridor Coalition, a group of interested stakeholders including State Senator Betsy Johnson, representatives of the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, Tillamook County and a number of state agencies have come together to explore the possibility of a trail connection along the rail line.

    The group recently released a preliminary feasibility study for a rail-trail along the corridor, which as well as being a terrific example of trail planning also offers a glimpse of the enormous potential of a rail-trail that would connect the urban, the wild and the rural.

    Part of the corridor is currently being used by the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway to conduct scenic tours along the coast, and the feasibility study includes the possibility of rail-with-trail in that section. That's great to see, because we have found that in instances where it is physically possible, a trail for riding and hiking can complement and enhance existing tourist rail operations.

    Despite the obvious excitement for such a rail-trail, the Salmonberry Corridor Coalition is very conscious that such dreams often take time to manifest. "The Banks-Vernonia Trail took over 30 years of planning and construction before it became the full corridor that it is today," the report reads. "Patience will be required to fulfill the initial vision."

    Patience, and support. Do your bit by helping spread the word of this tremendous project, and look for ways you can get involved.

     

  • In Chicago, Safe Sidewalks a Valuable Medicine

    A story out of Chicago this week draws a remarkably direct line between providing places to walk and bike and improving the health of young people.

    Occasional Rails to Trails magazine contributor John Greenfield wrote in Chicago Streetsblog and Newcity magazine of the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC), a group based out of the Lurie Children's Hospital which focuses on walking, biking and active play to help kids maintain healthy weight levels.

    "The built environment plays a huge role when it comes to people being able to be physically active," says Grant Vitale, community programs manager for the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC).

    Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Urban Pathway's Initiative was launched in 2008 partly as a response to an obesity epidemic among young people. This generation is the first in our history expected to have a shorter average life expectancy than their parents, and inactivity is the main reason why. In 1969, about 41 percent of kids walked or biked to school. Now, that number is down to about 13 percent. 

    Greenfield writes that in 2008 Chicago's obesity rate for young kids entering school was 22 percent, more than twice the national average. "In some neighborhoods, mostly low-income African-American and Latino communities, over half of all children are overweight or obese. These areas tend to have less green space and higher pedestrian crash rates than wealthier neighborhoods, which discourages active transportation and recreation."

    And so CLOCC has used walkability as the kernel of a public health intervention, training local communities on a neighborhood walkability assessment tool, identifying barriers to walking and biking, and campaigning for traffic calming measures, like speed bumps, or infrastructure to make crossing the street safer.

    One neighborhood group worked together to get a number of critical crosswalks re-striped in a short amount of time, a real and concrete improvement that will make it safer for local children to walk to a nearby park.

    According to Greenfield, CLOCC is now working with Strengthening Chicago's Youth, a violence-prevention group, to create a tool for measuring violence levels in a neighborhood. "We've been getting feedback from residents saying, 'It's all well and good for us to work with you to change the built environment, but if we don't feel safe going outside to go for a walk or go for a bike ride, that's a problem.'"

    Photo courtesy CLOCC/Streetsblog

     

     

  • Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Fayette, Henry, and Wayne Counties, Indiana

    RECEIVE RAILROAD ABANDONMENT NOTICES FOR YOUR STATE VIA E-MAIL

    On or about April 26, 2013, Norfolk Southern Railway Company filed for the abandonment of a total of 1.49 miles of disconnected track in Fayette, Henry, and Wayne Counties, Indiana. We are providing this information because it presents an opportunity to develop a real regional asset: a multi-use trail that can accommodate hikers, bikers, equestrians and other appropriate uses.

    NEXT STEPS: If this corridor is suitable for trail use, we strongly urge local trail advocates, or an appropriate local, regional or state agency or organization, to take action now. A "boiler plate" letter (found here) can be filed with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the abandoning railroad using STB docket number AB-290 (sub-no. 326x). Filing this letter does not commit its authors to acquire the corridor; it merely gives time to develop a rail-trail proposal and undertake negotiations with the railroad. According to the information we have received, the deadline for filing this letter is June 10, 2013. Even if this deadline is missed, there is probably still time to contact the relevant parties, since the railroad may have experienced a delay in filing all of the paperwork, or the STB may still have jurisdiction over the corridor. However, it is important to take prompt action. The STB posts all abandonment decisions and filings on its Web site, including the complete filing for this corridor. More information on the rail corridor, including a map, can be found in this filing, or view a clearer version of the map here.

    The STB has imposed a $200 filing fee for all railbanking requests. Entities filing a railbanking request may request a fee waiver or reduction, and government agencies will receive an automatic fee waiver. Throughout the process, make sure local government officials and citizen activists are kept informed of the project's progress. We also recommend contacting your state trails coordinator or your state bicycle/pedestrian coordinator.

    Both of these individuals are knowledgeable about state laws and resources and may be able to assist your community with this rail-trail project. Also, you may want to contact the abandoning railroad to add your name to their service list.

    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE: RTC's Web site may provide valuable tools as you plan for a rail-trail, including how-to manuals, the Trail-Building Toolbox, our Publications Library and the Trails & Greenways Listserv for trail advocates and professionals. These resources can be found within the "Trail-Building" section of our Web site. If you take advantage of this information and other resources promptly, you will be well on your way to creating a successful rail-trail in your community. For more information, or if you decide to pursue railbanking, please contact Eric Oberg at eric@railstotrails.org or visit www.railstotrails.org/ourwork/wherewework/midwest/contact.html.

     

     

  • Much At Stake for States in Battle of Bikeability

    Trail building has become a competitive sport. And there is much at stake. As America's communities continue to jostle for position in the annual League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly State rankings, what they are really competing for is new residents, new businesses, a reputation for livability and to be at the forefront of smart transportation, health and recreation planning.

    The LAB released its 2013 rankings today, and it reflected the determined effort of states to improve their active transportation networks. While Washington continues to lead the nation, a number of previously less bike-friendly states made big improvements - including Delaware, Illinois and Arizona - and were rewarded with a rise up the rankings.

    Statements made by the leaders of those states that improved their bikeability demonstrate just how important it is for 21st century communities to make committed investments in active transportation.

    U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE): "Creating more walkable and bikeable communities boosts air quality by reducing the amount of time cars and trucks idle on our roadways. Biking also helps decongest our transportation system, allowing individuals to spend more time working or relaxing with their families instead of wasting time and money sitting in traffic. The benefits of biking are countless, and that's why I'm proud to support dedicated federal funding for biking and walking infrastructure, as well as the efforts of the League of American Bicyclists and others to promote biking as an invaluable piece of the American transportation system."

    Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper: "An important part of making Colorado the healthiest state is encouraging people to be more active in their everyday routines. We're proud that our bicycle-friendly policies have skyrocketed Colorado's rank up 20 places in just five years, and we are committed to being No. 1 in the near future."

     

     

     

     


     

     

     

     

  • A World War, a Baptist Church, and a Cycling Pastor: the Wonderful Story Behind a Virginia Rail-Trail

    Often the greatest rail-trail stories are not those about the trail at all but its railroading past and the history of its transformation.

    This one is a beauty: a railroad track through a small Baptist Church cemetery, a World War II gun supply route, and a cycling pastor. Add to that the involvement of one of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Rail-Trail Champions and you have a rail-trail story for the ages!

    David Brickley, a former director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and a state delegate, was named by RTC in 2011 as one of the 25 men and women to have made an extraordinary contribution to the rail-trail movement during its first quarter century. Brickley's commitment to rail-trail development in the region was evident in his decision to personally purchase a 16-mile out-of-service railroad corridor in King George County, Va., to protect it from being lost to development.

    This week, the effort to complete the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail took a huge step forward with a unique partnership between Friends of the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail and the Little Ark Baptist Church. This terrific story in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star captures the colorful and complicated history behind that effort.

    Thanks to the agreement, for the first time ever the annual 50K race on the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail in August will be able to use the full length of the 15.7-mile trail. Until now, runners had to stop at Little Ark Baptist Church and turn around. More info about the race at www.friendsdrht.org

    Congratulations David, and the hardworking trail advocates of King George County.

     

     

  • Kentucky Police Chief: Trail Likely to Deter Crime in Hopkinsville

    That a new trail will bring crime to an area and increase public safety concerns is an often-used objection to trail projects, particularly in communities without relevant examples close by. However, a mountain of experiential and recorded evidence in fact demonstrates the opposite - that public pathways bring activity, ownership and care to areas once abandoned and neglected, and provide a deterrent to crime and anti-social behavior.

    Nevertheless, opponents of trails, biking and walking continue to use this disproved red herring to block trails that have the potential to greatly improve their community.

    So it was great to see the Kentucky New Era newspaper tackle the issue head on. As the community of Hopkinsville in southeast Kentucky pursues its rail-trail ambitions, the New Era editorial board decided to respond to concerns about crime and safety by going to straight to an expert. This week the paper conducted and published a discussion on trails, crime and safety with Hopkinsville Chief of Police Guy Howie, who had experience with trails relationship to crime during his time with the police department in Ocala, Fla.

    His comments will not surprise those who have experienced the impact of public pathways in their community, and echoes that of other law enforcement officers interviewed about the connection of crime to local trails. The full story online requires a subscription to view, so here's a sampling of Chief Howie's responses:

    "What's there now, it's already being used by some for both legal and illegal purposes. Once we improve that and it's being utilized by law-abiding citizens, and it's maintained and kept up, the people who are using it for illegal purposes now aren't going to want to stay because they don't want to be discovered."

    "Every place that we looked or I talked about, or had personal knowledge of, any time those facilities are used, there's generally not a problem. Nowhere could we find where crime went up along those areas to any significant extent. ... There are projects like this all across the country. Nobody has come up with any research that we're aware of to the contrary, or to the negative. It's just a perception, and where it comes from, I don't know."

    KNE: "Do you think people who have property that abuts the trail should be concerned?" Howie: "No. I think they should be ecstatic. Right now, it's already being used by those people. ... It's deserted and that's why they're using it. If I owned a piece of property and it backed up to the rail-trail, I would be excited that it's going to be improved."

    "There is evidence out there that shows things like this improve property values. I know the one in Spring Field, Tenn., it improved the property values there."

    "I did talk to Greenville's chief of police, and he said they've had little to no issues with the one that runs from Greenville to Central City."

    "I'd actually like to see it in an ordinance, that the trial is closed from dusk till dawn, unless there's a special event and it's monitored."

    "I think some of the bigger cities, and I like to compare Hopkinsville to a small city with some big-city problems at times, I think there's probably a concern about sexual assaults. Again, how do you defeat that? Well, you use it. You have hours of operation for the trail. You don't go out for a walk at midnight, or you don't go for a jog at 9 o'clock at night after dark. You make sure the trail is monitored and that it's accessible enough for police to get down it."

    "I think the more recreational opportunities that a community can offer to the public, the healthier the community becomes. If you have activities for kids to do, they are able to do that instead of hanging out and getting in trouble. Where can a dad in some of these neighborhoods teach his kid to ride a bike? I certainly couldn't do it on Remington Road with the way some of those cars come through there. People could go for a walk and not have to worry about traffic. I just think it would help the overall health and welfare of the community and improve the quality of life."

     

     

  • New Award To Herald Remarkable TA and TE Projects

    The Transportation Alternatives (TA) program (formerly called Transportation Enhancements), is the one of the primary funding sources for trails and other active transportation projects. As Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's network of local advocates and supporters can attest to, projects funded by TA often have a transformative impact on communities large and small. 

    Now, there is an opportunity for your community's TA project to be recognized for its promotion of healthy, sustainable and efficient active transportation options.

    The new Transportation Alternatives Certificate of Excellence (TACE) recognizes successful TA projects that have enhanced the surface transportation system and provided benefits to communities. The TACE elevates local success stories to the national level, shares best practices, and highlights federal, state, and local partnerships. Excellent TA projects (like the Heart of America Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Path in Kansas City, Mo, pictured here) demonstrate some or all of the following elements: use by local residents or visitors; opportunity for activities previously unavailable; transportation benefits; environmental and social benefits; and the fulfillment of a need in the community.

    Projects that receive the TACE will be featured on the NTAC website, and may be included in Enhancing America's Communities, NTAC's primary publication and guide on Transportation Alternatives.

    To submit your nomination, or to learn more about TA projects across America, www.ta-clearinghouse.info/certificate

    By demonstrating how much you appreciate active transportation projects in your community, you'll help inspire new advocates and planners across America!

     

     

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