RTC TrailBlog : art, video

Memphis Connects Parks with Rail-Trail and Complete Streets

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:36:00 GMT

In many ways, the recently opened Shelby Farms Greenline is a linear extension of the city's largest park to downtown Memphis, Tenn. But the rail-trail stops just short of Overton Park, which contains, among other attractions, the Memphis Zoo and the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. What's standing in the way? Broad Avenue, an east-west connection that has seen better days.

To complete the missing link, Broad Avenue was transformed, at least temporarily, into a complete street featuring bike lanes, art-inspired crosswalks painted by local schoolchildren, and temporary businesses that set up shop for the weekend. It's part of an effort, called "A New Face for an Old Broad," to show the community what Broad Avenue could be while making the connection between the trailhead and Overton Park.

"This is a critical link ... The Greenline is the catalyst to turn around attitudes toward the city of Memphis, Tennessee," says event sponsor Charles McVean. Kyle Wagenschutz, bike and pedestrian coordinator for the city of Memphis, agrees. "Much like the Greenline gave Memphians a tangible example of off-road spaces that are safe places for biking and walking," he says, "the redesign of Broad Avenue will be a physical representation of how city streets can be designed as safe places for bicycle riders and pedestrians." Plans are already taking shape in an effort to make permanent improvements to Broad Avenue.

It's an inspiring story of extending a pathway beyond the trail corridor to foster business development, physical activity and community spirit at once. Be sure to watch the video report embedded above from WMC-TV.

After a Decade of Effort, West Toronto Railpath Opens First Phase

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:29:00 GMT

Above left: A ride down the length of the Railpath. Above right: CBC News Toronto reports on a mural below a Railpath overpass.

On October 30, the first 1.3-mile phase of the West Toronto Railpath had its grand opening, which received rave reviews in the press. This urban rail-with-trail is a strong addition to the city's bicycle and pedestrian network, allowing users to bypass busy roads, including Bloor and Dundas streets, and connect with the GO Transit rail station at Bloor.

View West Toronto Railpath in a larger map

The corridor features public art installations, benches, bike racks, vegetation and signage that reminds path users of the corridor's industrial heritage. Photos of the trail can be found at the Friends of the West Toronto Railpath's Flickr account, on BikingToronto's forums and on the website of a local photographer.

Although trail supporters are excited about the opening of the Railpath's first phase, much work remains to complete the path's route to the heart of Toronto, according to Dale Fallon of Friends of West Toronto Railpath. "Phase Two includes some planning challenges," he said, "but the abandoned rail right-of-way is intact, and we are confident that with strong community support the complete trail will be open in a couple years."

Post updated to include updated hyperlink and quote from Dale Fallon.

D.C.'s largest mural painted adjacent to future rail-trail

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:29:00 GMT

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: