April 2011 - RTC TrailBlog

by Yves Zsutty, City of San Jose, Calif., Trail Manager

In San Jose, we’ve spent a lot of time over the year studying the issue of trail safety. Today’s economic struggles reaffirm the reality that we have to create safer trails through good design, amenities and operational practices instead of hoping for more police or rangers.

Community outreach helped us define the major safety concerns on our trails. Dog leashes were of concern because their long length was a known tripping hazard. The existing city of San Jose rule for 20-foot retractable leashes was consistent with other parks and open space. However, after the tragic death of a pedestrian who became entangled in a dog leash, staff looked at sidewalk laws that would better reflect the conditions on 12-foot-wide trails. The city then altered its ordinance to permit 6-foot, fixed-length leashes on trails. The rule requires that the person, dog and leash all remain to the right of center line (marked or unmarked).

New signage is also being deployed with positive messaging. Our Trail Rules sign now uses "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" icons to display key rules, and supplemental signs are being posted along the trails to remind trail users to pass to the left, slow for pedestrians and be aware of hazards or nearby destinations. The graphics-based signage aims to be more memorable than simple text. Mileage markers posted at quarter-mile increments create “addresses” known to our 911 Center so that we can obtain more rapid emergency response and record keeping.

For more information about San Jose’s efforts, visit www.sjparks.org/trails. See “Reports” for signage guidelines and the ordinance.

Image of Trail Rules sign courtesy of the city of San Jose. Click for larger version.

In a blog post originally published by the National Complete Streets Coalition at www.completestreets.org, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy intern Jason Frantz takes a look at the modern development of Red Wing, Minn., a town of 16,000 that recently launched an ambitious Complete Streets program to help mitigate the effects of urban sprawl.

By Ruby Brunk

In 2010, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, through its GreenWays Initiative, awarded a $147,433 grant to The Greening of Detroit for a pilot project focusing on the maintenance of local greenways. The resulting project not only kept targeted greenways maintained but also provided jobs and improved community trail usage and stewardship. 

The Detroit Greenway Maintenance Pilot Project focused on Detroit’s Conner Creek, Southwest Detroit-Dearborn and Lyndon greenways. Before the season began, The Greening’s project manager met with partners from each site to go over specific maintenance details. The three greenways were split into manageable sections, and extensive maintenance surveys were conducted. The Greening developed work plans based on the surveys and kept careful records of all work performed. Four individuals were hired to make up the project’s maintenance crew. In addition to pre-season field orientations, the crew was given an overview on their work in the larger context of greenway development. Crew members also benefited from trainings on tool use, horticulture and landscaping throughout the season.  

The regular presence of the crew, along with the work they accomplished, boosted morale on the greenway and increased community use and stewardship. Crewmembers reported on daily positive interactions, such as greenway users thanking them for their work or seeking them out to address additional maintenance issues. The community was further engaged by the project’s Growing Greener Detroit Series, which brought together Detroit residents, schools, churches and community organizations for events on the greenway. Partnerships with community centers and the dispersal of 3,000 promotional flyers were part of a concerted outreach effort, resulting in 316 youth and adults from 68 different organizations participating in day camps, tree walks, service days, horticulture workshops and other programming. 

One of the goals of the Detroit Greenways Maintenance Pilot Project was to develop best practices for Detroit’s current and future greenways. On the Conner Creek, Southwest Detroit-Dearborn and Lyndon greenways, the success of the project is palpable. With the Detroit Greenways Coalition moving the city's trail network forward, this project should help inform the planning of other greenways in Detroit.

Photo: Detroit's Dequindre Cut Greenway by Flickr user Rex Roof.

Ride The Divide, the award-winning feature-length documentary about the world's toughest mountain bike race, will descend on South Florida for two shows at the O-Cinema in Miami on the night of Wednesday, April 27. The event will be a fundraiser for the Virginia Key Bicycle Club.

The film chronicles the story of several mountain bikers who attempt the 2,711-mile race named the Tour Divide along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. The movie was named best adventure film at the 2010 Vail Film Festival.

This film has become an instant cycling classic and made its television premiere in September on the Documentary Channel. But the Adventure Cycling Association says the film should be seen on the big screen: "The cinematography is stunning!" says Epic Riding. "In a word? Fantastic. In more words? Moving, funny, inspiring."

Ride The Divide embraces the stories of three of the racers who experience the immense mountain beauty and small-town culture as they attempt to pedal from Banff, Canada, to a small, dusty crossing on the Mexican border. There's Mike, a 40-year-old family man who uses this challenge to chart a new course in life; Matthew, a leader in extreme endurance racing who's competing for his 5th time; and Mary, the first female rider to race this route. As they set out, they will attempt to accomplish what very few have been able to do: During the course of a few weeks, they'll attempt to climb more than 200,000 vertical feet along the backbone of the Rocky Mountains.

They'll experience mental breakdowns, treacherous snow, hellacious blisters and total fatigue. Above all, they'll race with no support--at times in total isolation. The tests of endurance and the accomplished moments throughout Ride the Divide prompt us to reflect on our inner desires to live life to the fullest.

Reviewing the film, Outside magazine proclaimed that "(t)he toughest bike race in the world is not in France."

Ride The Divide will be shown at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the O-Cinema, located at 90 NW 29th Street in Miami. Tickets are $15 at the door and $10 in advance online purchase. The event is sponsored by Mack Cycles, All 4 Cycling and Scott Skate & Bike of Miami.

Media contact: Garry Harrington at 603.209.5010 or gharrington3165@hotmail.com.

By Stephany Small

I have lived in the Washington, D.C., area for the past several years and have taken advantage of the amazing trails and commuting routes found throughout the area. In fact, I was car-free for more than five years, using feet and bicycle as my main modes of transportation. Commuting by bicycle is wonderful: It is incredibly economical, the fastest commute and the most time-efficient form of exercise. Plus, it felt great to know that I wasn't contributing to traffic and was making a small impact on preserving our planet.

For our first anniversary, my husband Doug and I are riding our bikes from New York City to Washington, D.C., as part of Brita Climate Ride. This 300-mile, five-day ride from May 13 to 17 raises support and money for alternative transportation, bike advocacy and protecting the environment.

I have decided to make Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) the sole benefactor of all funds I raise. I believe in RTC's mission and want to contribute to the growth of trails around the country so others may be able to have the same opportunities for safe, outdoor activities and alternative transportation that I have been privileged to enjoy.

Please support me as I pedal toward a healthier, safer, happier place for us to live. Any donation you're able to make will go directly to benefit RTC's trail-building work around the country!

Learn more about Climate Ride, and find out other ways you can get involved.  

Photo: Doug and Stephany Small, courtesy of the Smalls.

This April, one of our long-standing partners, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSFL), has launched a community engagement campaign called The Pursuit. This month-long voting competition invites BCBSFL's Facebook fans to vote for their favorite nonprofit, and we're excited that Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is one of three organizations on the ballot!  

If we get the most votes by the end of the month, we could win up to $3,000 for our trail-building work in Florida -- not to mention great promotion of rail-trails across the state. So how can you take part and vote?  

1. Visit the BCBSFL Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BCBSFL, and then click to "like" them as an organization.
2. After that, you can find "The Pursuit" page through a link on the lefthand sidebar.
3. Next, select the "click here to vote" button. You'll be asked to accept the voting "app," but rest assured our agreement with BCBSFL prohibits them from accessing, utilizing, storing or sharing any personal information other than using a voter's login ID to ensure individuals vote only once per day.
4. On the next page, you can vote for RTC out of the three choices.
5. If you're still not clear on the process, BCBSFL has posted a quick how-to video on YouTube.

Even a single vote from you will be a huge help. But in this competition, you can vote every day until the end of April. So if your clicking fingers are up to the challenge, we'd love for you to vote as often as you're able or willing to do so!  Also, to spread our reach as far as possible, you can forward this e-mail to friends, family and colleagues and encourage them to support RTC as well.  

Thank you for your great support. Let's win The Pursuit!

The California Department of Parks and Recreation is conducting a Statewide Roads and Trails Change-in-Use Program Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR). The department's goal is to study trail use conflict, safety issues and solutions.

They are seeking hard data and documented practices, including success stories and failures. This report is not a trail user opinion survey; rather it is an attempt to find the most complete and objective documentation of the issues, and the best practices for addressing them. The plan is to complete the research collection and document review by April 30, 2011.

How can you get involved? You can help by letting the department know of any study, strategy, contact or other source of information on techniques for managing multiple user types on trails and shared-use paths. Please direct all suggestions and questions to Hannah Kapell, research coordinator, at hannahkapell@altaplanning.com or 510.540.5008 x111.

Thank you for sharing your ideas!

Photo of California's El Dorado Trail courtesy of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.