RTC TrailBlog

On June 5, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy celebrated National Trails Day by hosting an event with Kaiser Permanente on the Metropolitan Branch Trail. The event, called Meet the Met: Party on the Met Branch Trail, introduced surrounding communities to a new pathway that had opened only one month before. While some area residents had been involved with the long history of getting the trail built, many in the surrounding neighborhoods didn't know that the trail existed. By working with our partners to host a celebration that included something for and from all parts of the community - free bike repairs and rentals, garden plantings and shows by cheerleaders from nearby Beacon House - we hoped to christen the trail and introduce it to all of Northeast D.C.

Nearly 1,000 people turned out on a hot June day for the celebration, and of the over 200 we surveyed, nearly half had never been on the Metropolitan Branch Trail before. Photos and video (embedded above) can give you a flavor of the day's events, which included salutes to longtime trail advocates, a bike rodeo to teach kids safe riding skills, live music along the trail and a raffle of four bicycles donated by local shop Arrow Bicycle.

Meet the Met is just the beginning. A new listserv connecting neighbors who care about the Met Branch Trail attracted more than 100 members in its first week and a meeting is being held on July 8 to move the conversation from the online world to the real world. Even with community support, this trail faces challenges, such as littering and public safety. But the Met Branch is not alone. As part of RTC's Urban Pathways Initiative, this trail is connected to dozens of others across the nation addressing similar issues, providing a support network to learn about best practices from other cities.

By Becky Chanis, Magazine Intern

Few interns get to say their summer job required them to bike more than 200 miles in a single week. Perhaps even fewer can say they asked to do it. Luckily, I am one of those few. On July 16, 2010, I packed two duffel bags and joined the staff of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) for the 8th Annual Greenway Sojourn in Camden, N.J. For one week, it would be my job to cycle from Camden to Jim Thorpe, Pa., and back again with a group of more than 300 Sojourners, experiencing and documenting the trip from their point of view.

My main reason for volunteering for such a trip was that it, of course, seemed fun; however, the Greenway Sojourn quickly became something more than a quasi-vacation. It became a learning experience, in which I saw firsthand why the mission of RTC is so relevant.

I learned that trails open up a whole new world to their users. As a lifelong city kid from Manhattan, I haven't spent much time around green things. The Greenway Sojourn often felt akin to discovering an alien planet or entering the Jurassic period: I was continually surrounded by foreign, lush landscapes. When it rained on Day 3 while we rode the Perkiomen Trail, I felt as though my senses were deceiving me. The shaded trail was filled with the dewy scent of foliage; water came down from the sky in torrents, turning a leisurely bike ride into a muddy adventure. It was all so new and fresh; I had never seen anything so beautiful. I realized trail riding was an easy way to welcome nature into my daily life.

The Sojourners' use of rail-trails also contributed exponentially to the communities that had built them. Our visits to Conshohocken, Manayunk, Jim Thorpe and several other Pennsylvania "trail towns" helped support their local economies and encourage future development. We ate locally grown produce and patronized small businesses, from restaurants to bicycle shops. We learned about local history, natural life and politics. Our weeklong trip helped sustain these communities, as well as the beautiful land that surrounds them.

It was also great to see that the support did not begin and end with the Sojourners. Fuji Bikes donated bicycles to the kids and staff from the LEAP School in Camden, N.J. (one of two schools that were sponsored to ride the Sojourn). For the adults, in addition to sponsoring the ride, Fetzer Vineyards held several wine tastings with dinner. And the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Coopers Ferry Development Association also generously and enthusiastically supported the ride.

On a personal level, the Sojourn was a way of showing my friends, family members and others that sustainable, healthy living is a viable option when you have access to great trails. Although building rail-trails is the first step, the real benefits come from using them.

Photo and story by Eric Oberg/Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Bridges are a costly need for rail-trails, many of which cross streams, roadways and even other rail corridors. After engineering and installation quotes were obtained from a precast bridge supplier for bridges along Ohio’s Moonville Rail-Trail, the reality of the extremely costly challenge became clear. So when members of the trail’s nonprofit group heard that old flatbed rail cars might be available from the federal government’s Gaseous Diffusion Plant near Piketon, Ohio, a light bulb went on and calls were made. The rumor was true: some rail cars were available to eligible entities, including nonprofits. Over the next few months the trail group expressed its interest, then waited, worried and wondered what needed to be done to get the cars to their corridor. Moonville Rail-Trail President Neil Shaw finally got the call in August and was informed that three cars were ready for pick-up.

Although the cars were donated at no charge, they had to be moved within three days to avoid a stiff storage fee. A friend of the trail with a big rig and trailer came to the rescue. Just shy of the move deadline, three rail cars were being backed down the corridor toward the first bridge site. The rail cars are heavy steel flat bed cars, as if they were manufactured to someday work as a bridge structure.  The sheer strength, size and shape made these cars ideal bridges.

Two large cranes were rented for lifting the cars off of the trailer and then placing them on the existing bridge abutments. As the cars were scrutinized it was found that they were actually not 50 feet long, as advertised, but were instead 46 feet, nine inches long. With bridge abutments exactly 50 feet apart at the first site, some good old-fashioned ingenuity was needed. The contractor working to install the bridges, Seneca Steel from nearby Logan, Ohio, was more than up to the task. Using portable truck-mounted welding equipment, the contractor fabricated extensions for each end of the rail car, as well as feet that were then bolted to the abutments to make the elevation work to match the adjoining trail tread. This amazing work has resulted in a snugly fit bridge structure that should service the trail for decades to come.

The second bridge site was an even larger challenge. The opening from abutment to abutment was measured at 54 feet, and again the rail cars were only 46 feet, nine inches. The torches came out and the more than seven feet necessary to finish the span was simply cut from the third rail car. This piece will be welded onto the car and the bridge placed on the abutments. 

The Moonville Rail-Trail now boasts two bridge decks in need of decking and railings. Until now, the bridges have cost the group under $4,000 for transportation and installation work.  They are currently soliciting bids for the wood necessary to complete the projects. The original quote for building, transport and installation from the pre-fab company was $54,000 for the first bridge and $84,000 for the second. What trail group, looking at a huge capital need such as a bridge project, cannot appreciate a savings of more than $100,000?

This morning, District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty and DDOT Director Gabe Klein joined neighborhood residents, area cyclists and long-time trail advocates for the ribbon cutting of a key missing link in the Metropolitan Branch Trail. A photo set from RTC features images of today's event.

Residents of Edgewood, Eckington, Brookland and much of Northeast D.C. now have a seamless route to Union Station and downtown that bypasses busy arteries including Rhode Island, New York and Florida avenues. While this ribbon cutting was twenty years in the making, today is only the beginning of the fun for area residents. May is National Bike Month and this month the trail will host commute convoys, walking tours, and neighborhood bike rides culminating in Meet the Met, a grand opening celebration on National Trails Day, June 5. To keep on top of all the happenings, sign up for Met Branch Trail e-mail updates.

The process of completing this  trail took a few twists and turns over its many years. In February, we were lucky enough to be joined by DDOT trail planner Heather Deutsch (in photo, with Mayor Fenty) at Urban Pathways to Livable Communities, a conference hosted by RTC to bring together professionals working on the challenging issues that surround trails in urban neighborhoods. Heather presented a short history of the trail and the hurdles it faced during construction. A video of her presentation is below:

At left, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty cuts the ribbon with artists and community leaders on the city's largest mural, entitled "From Edgewood to the Edge of the World." Photo: Stephen Miller/Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Graffiti has long been a fact of life in the District of Columbia, and the rail corridor that runs through the Edgewood and Eckington neighborhoods in the city's Northeast quadrant is home to plenty of illegal tagging and art. Instead of whitewashing walls only to have them be marked again weeks later, the District government has begun to connect youth with artists who help them hone their skills as part of the city's Summer Youth Employment Program.

One result of this effort is what is now the city's largest mural, covering a wall over 1,000 feet long adjacent to the Rhode Island Avenue Red Line station and the Metropolitan Branch Trail. A 1.5-mile long section of the trail is currently under construction next to the mural, and will soon connect Northeast neighborhoods to Union Station and downtown.

The arts group behind the mural is Albus Cavus, which was hired by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities to work with Summer Youth Employment Program participants on the mural, located beside a shopping center. Through our work on encouraging community engagement around the planned trail, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy helped connect the commission and the artists with the shopping center's manager.

The mural was painted over the summer at a rapid pace, with artists from across the nation moving to the Edgewood neighborhood for the summer to participate. Neighborhood residents appreciate the new art, as well. "The artwork is just amazing," Wayne Sumpter told the Washington Post. "It definitely gets your attention. It wakes you up. When I come through here I'm not thinking about a lot, but the wall stopped me. It pulls you to it."

UPDATE: A short documentary about the mural was shown on Current TV. Watch it here:

UPDATE: The October 29 edition of the Washington Post has an article about the event. Be sure to take a look!

On Friday, October 23, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) partnered with Beacon House, a tutoring and mentoring organization in the Edgewood neighborhood of Washington, D.C., to give free bicycles, locks, helmets and safety instruction to 40 students enrolled in Beacon House programs. The $20,000 bicycle giveaway, which aims to encourage use of newly completed sections of the Metropolitan Branch Trail, was part of RTC's Metropolitan Grants Program, funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation.

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), a long-standing advocate for the completion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail, provided bicycle safety training for the students who received bikes. RTC, WABA and Beacon House staff assisted the students with helmet fittings and bicycle adjustments prior to a ride along a newly completed section of the trail. Local bicycle shop Oasis Bike Works has committed to monthly check-ups for the next year with students receiving bikes at Beacon House to perform tune-ups and teach the students about bike maintenance.

Beacon House offers educational, cultural, recreational and athletic programs to roughly 400 children and youth, ages 5 to 18, from low-income families, per year. The bicycle giveaway is part of RTC's ongoing commitment to provide amenities, resources and opportunities to Ward 5 residents near the newly constructed Metropolitan Branch Trail.

RTC is committed to expanding the use of rail-trails in urban areas across the nation. Many neighborhoods in major urban areas face the challenges of obesity, congestion and scarcity of open space. In addition to the Metropolitan Grants Program, in 2009 RTC launched its Urban Pathways Initiative, enabling communities to become part of the solution. Rail-trails and urban pathways provide opportunities for healthier living, which in turn effect positive change in neighborhoods where the demand for improved health and community empowerment is greatest.

Photos by (L) Lindsay Martin/Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and (R) Stephen Miller/Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Interested in the mural in the background? It's D.C.'s largest, and it's right on the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Learn more about it. More photos of the event can be found on the Facebook page of event partner Oasis Bike Works.

The Secrets to Gardens on Urban Pathways
Hosted by RTC's Urban Pathways Initiative
Thursday, August 26, 2010 - 2 p.m. EST

Gardens along trails are great community resources that can not only build a connection to local food and natural systems, but also improve community interaction, break down generational barriers and add a sense of livability to urban areas. Maintaining a community or school garden along a trail requires space, money, expertise, dedication and relationships. Jesse Kurtz-Nicholl of Johns Hopkins University Center for a Livable Future, Urban Tilth executive director Doria Robinson and Park Guthrie of Wildcat Farms have led projects along rail-trails in Richmond, Calif., and Washington, D.C. They will present and take questions on how to foster, start and maintain community gardens along trails in urban areas.

Read biographies of webinar presenters .

Photo by M.V. Jantzen/Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

By Yves Zsutty, City of San Jose Trail Program

I recently learned of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's goal to have 90 percent of Americans live within three miles of a trail or connecting corridor by 2020. With this metric in mind, I thought that San Jose might be a good model to showcase how an urban area is served by and functions with distributed trails. We have nearly 54 miles of off-street trails within the city's urban boundaries. Several of the 24 trail systems are not yet interconnected but are found throughout the city. Our ambitious Green Vision supports completion of a 100-mile trail network by 2022.

We prepared this map to show neighborhoods served within three miles of existing trails. Even with just more than 50 percent of our network in place, we offer accessibility to 99 percent of all residents. The work underway through 2022 will make trails even more viable for commuting and recreation by extending trails, closing gaps and interconnecting the trails. The Trail Network is and will be an important element within the transportation system of the nation's 10th largest city. It will be possible for Silicon Valley residents to journey to work, or take care of errands with little or no interaction with automotive traffic. 

With well-distributed trails in place, let me offer a few facts about existing trail usage. First, San Jose has a little more 1 million residents and is the largest city in Northern California. The city's mild climate, with 300 days of sunshine, a level valley-floor topography, and casual Silicon Valley style make biking a viable and desirable recreational and commute mode that is always a few short miles from home. The network's core regional trail systems are easily accessible from the roadway system. Until fully developed, 200 miles of on-street bike lanes provide defined bicycle access, and that system will grow to 400 miles by 2022.

Our annual Trail Count tells us the following:

• Usage has increased by double-digits for each of the past three years.
• More than 50 percent of trail users are commuting to and from work.
• Trail users report a desire to bike more with further trail development.

Other data-collection efforts in recent years show a dramatic growth in bicycling: a 200-percent increase (0.4 percent to 1.2 percent of work trips) from 2006 to 2008, and 2008 work trips by bike are about two-and-a-half times the national average (1.2 versus 0.5 percent).

Trails play an important commuting role because of their proximity to employment:

• High tech jobs within the North San Jose area are within three-quarters a mile of a trail.
• Approximately 50,000 residents reside downtown and are within three-quarters a mile of a trail.

So, from our local perspective, I can say that Rails to Trails Conservancy's mission is highly achievable and will offer big dividends in terms of greater levels of recreation and bicycle commuting.

Photos courtesy City of San Jose Trails Program