RTC TrailBlog : physical activity

Trail Voices: Edgar Chase

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:44:00 GMT

Edgar Chase is always moving. "I used to be a runner," says the New Orleans native and former Marine Corps captain. Now 62, he and his wife Alva are looking to keep active as they get older. "I can't run like I used to," he says, so instead he and Alva "walk every day, and we don't miss a day. And when my knee acts up too much, I ride the bike." But for Chase, walking and biking are about more than staying healthy. It's a way to get around town.

After raising children in suburban New Orleans East, the Chases were drawn closer to the city's heart by family connections and a desire to have daily necessities within easy reach. Chase's parents live in the city's Tremé neighborhood, and his family's business, Dooky Chase restaurant, is in Lafitte. The couple settled in nearby Mid-City. "We have small retail shopping districts--neighborhood grocery stores, neighborhood pharmacy stores, neighborhood churches," Chase says. There's no need "to use an interstate highway to go to shop. We could walk, we could bicycle."

Chase began bicycling in 2005, before Hurricane Katrina hit the city. After the storm, he began riding more--to community meetings, to festivals. Spurred on by his wife, Chase became involved with Friends of Lafitte Corridor, a group advocating for a rail-trail through Chase's neighborhood that would connect the French Quarter to City Park. He eventually joined the group's board of directors. "The whole point of the greenway," he explains, "is to encourage people...to use bicycling and walking to go to shops, to go to restaurants, to do everyday living." Chase sees the greenway not only as a way to revitalize local businesses, but to bring more families to the area, who, like him, "would like to have safe spots for our grandkids to bicycle, for us to walk every day."

Chase has passed bicycling on to his twin sons, as well. Now 35, they both commute to work by bike. "They have cars," Chase says, "but they like to bike because they don't have time to get in the exercise they normally would." It's an excellent way to make time to stay fit," he says, especially if, like his sons, "you're a busy person and you're raising young kids."

But Chase says his sons will bike the city's streets even when he won't. "They're a little braver than I am. Sometimes they work late into the evening, but they'll ride their bikes." That's where Chase draws the line. "I don't ride my bike at dark, because I'm afraid of getting hit by a truck. There's a little bit of danger so you have to be careful."

"I like to ride in a safe area," he says. "It's hard to find streets with bike paths." Chase enjoys riding on Gentilly Boulevard because of its bike lane. "We don't have that on Broad Street, we don't have that on Carrollton Avenue, we don't have that on Tulane Avenue, we don't have that on Nashville Avenue. We have to cross bridges," which, Chase notes, can be difficult to traverse on a bike. "There's no bike path over the Broad Street overpass. Then I turn on Nashville; there's no bike path there. There's no bike path on Tchoupitoulas. We need it on all those streets," he says. And once you arrive at your destination, Chase says, "There aren't enough bike racks for you to safely park your bike. I think that's something we can improve on."

As the city rebuilds its streets, he says, "We're building back better." Some now include dedicated bike lanes. Despite the city's progress, there is still a long road to achieving the vision Edgar Chase shares with many of his fellow New Orleanians. "We could get back and forth to those essential neighborhood services by bicycling or walking if we had some secure bicycling or walking paths. It's a beautiful city here in New Orleans, and the people are very friendly. We just need to develop the infrastructure."

Photo courtesy Edgar Chase

Share Your Project with the CDC: Anti-Obesity Active Transportation Initiatives Wanted

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:33:00 GMT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is looking for projects that promote active transportation infrastructure for leisure or commuting purposes. Submitted initiatives should target low-income and minority populations with higher rates of obesity.

Selected programs will be invited to participate in an assessment to determine readiness for evaluation, which will include a spring 2011 site visit to assess implementation, data availability, intended outcomes and staff capacity. CDC project staff will also offer ideas for improvement and evaluation design. Projects will also be featured on the CDC website and may be considered for a comprehensive evaluation.

Programs must have been under way for six months or more at time of submission, be federally funded and not have already undergone rigorous evaluation. View the submission form to nominate your project. The deadline is January 28, 2011. Contact Kari Cruz at kcruz@icfi.com or 404.321.3211 with any questions.

Me, an Athelete? Yes, YOU!

Steve Schweigerdt (RTC) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:45:00 GMT

Bringing new users out to trails requires overcoming personal barriers many people have, such as lack of self confidence, fear of failure or concern over potential injury. We recently came across Forever Athletes, a group that is working to inspire everyone to unlock the athlete within.

"Forever Athletes believes everyone is an athlete, as we've redefined the term to be highly inclusive: a person who regularly participates in physical activities, exercises, sports or games requiring physical strength, agility or stamina, regardless of age, gender, skill or ability level," says Managing Director Jessica Seyfert. The logic is: If you believe and know that you are an athlete, you live your life accordingly. For people to change their actions and habits, they must change their minds.

Toward this end, Forever Athletes has interviewed and surveyed various master athletes, and through sharing their "secrets" and habits, Forever Athletes aims to inspire others to make this shift, as well. Since the vision is grand, the site relies on the aid of those who are already aware of their physical gifts to inspire those closest to them who are unaware of the athlete within.

Forever Athletes is also showcasing everyday people who have stories to tell. For example, you can read the story of Dan and Ash's 9-day, 550-mile bike trip in the site's first eBook. You can also participate by completing a quick survey and connect with the group to look for events in your area.

Watch: D.C. Residents Meet the Met Branch Trail

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:59:00 GMT

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.

Trail Days: Planning Fun Trail Events with Community Health and Stewardship Focus

Kelly Pack (RTC) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:16:00 GMT

It’s that time of year. The flowers are in bloom, the birds are singing and people are lacing up their shoes or hopping on their bikes to visit nearby trails. Meanwhile, trail managers and friends groups are busy planning fun trail programs and events for the spring and summer months. Some trails focus on community stewardship opportunities for National Trails Day (June 5, 2010) or Earth Day (April 22, 2010). Many trails host annual running and walking races or organize clean-up or adopt-the-trail events. Looking for new and exciting ways to get people out on your trail throughout the rest of the year? Here are some examples to get the creative juices flowing:

Last year, East Bay Regional Park District teamed up with Bay Area Regional Transit to host Tracks to Trails, an event to promote physical activity on the Iron Horse Regional Trail in California's Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Participants were encouraged to “Walk, Run, Roll, or Ride” and visit a series of energy stations along the 24-mile trail.
The Morgana Run Trail in Cleveland, Ohio's Slavic Village neighborhood knows how to party. As part of Walk + Roll, a large neighborhood walking and biking festival, neighborhood residents took to the streets and the trail to play games, visit local business and organization open houses, paint murals and eat ice cream. Among many other events on the trail, Slavic Village Development organizes Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound, an annual event for dog owners and lovers to enjoy the Morgana Run Trail with their four-legged friends.

Visit American Hiking Society’s website to learn more about National Trails Day and how to participate.

Photo: A young Slavic Village resident enjoys "Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound" on the Morgana Run Trail in Cleveland, Ohio. Courtesy of Slavic Village Development.

Walking Challenges as a Tool to Encourage Trail Use

Steve Schweigerdt (RTC) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:23:00 GMT

Walking challenges are a great way to raise the awareness of trails in the community and inspire regular use. A challenge motivates people to join groups and aim for a target number of steps, miles or minutes walking. As participants report their miles, their team can trace progress toward a goal that they couldn't do alone. Hopefully after the challenge is over walking will be a routine for the participants.

Here are a few examples of Walking Challenges on the west coast:

With the completion of the Whittier Greenway Trail in Los Angeles County, Activate Whittier is challenging groups to take the Hollywood Walk to Fame by traversing the country from New York City to Hollywood with star-studded stops along the way to the Oscars. The website has suggested routes with mileage that include 4.2 miles along this rail-trail.
Walk the California Coast with San Francisco's Shape UP Walking Challenge. Challengers join teams and walk 1,016 miles, the equivalent of the length of the California coast, in 10 weeks. If they complete that level, participants can continue their virtual tour across the country or even around the world. The San Francisco Department of Public Health reports that the program has gone viral and gained momentum since inception.
With the Itida-Walk you can track your progress across Alaska as you follow the sled dogs in the Itidarod. Instead of tracking miles, this program tracks minutes of walking, encouraging participants to walk 30 minutes a day for 35 days for a total of 1,049 minutes.

Photo from Shape UP San Francisco.

Youth Activity Leagues Connect Kids to Trails

Steve Schweigerdt (RTC) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:40:00 GMT

Activity Leagues operated by local law enforcement agencies are often a good match for trail advocates looking to encourage cycling among youth. As part of our Urban Pathways Initiative work along the Compton Creek Bike Path in southern California, RTC came across a program of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department called Bicycle Education and Registration (BEAR). This program gives local youth the opportunity to work with deputies and learn about bicycle education, safety and repair. In addition, the program recycles confiscated bicycles and offers them to local youth who successfully complete the five day course. After completion of the class, local youth gain bicycle education, a new bike, a helmet, parts, and a positive relationship with law enforcement. The program graduates about 60 new riders each year and has about 100 graduates so far. As a part of our work in Compton, we are investigating ways to improve the connections between the trail and the Youth Activity League location so that the new riders can access the trail safely.

Youth Activity Leagues or Police Activity Leagues are located across the country and can be found through the National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues.

Photo from Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

First Lady's Anti-Obesity Initiative Targets Physical Activity Among Youth

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:39:00 GMT

This week, First Lady Michelle Obama launched Let's Move, an initiative to fight childhood obesity by focusing on nutrition and physical activity at both school and home. At the White House launch of Let's Move, Mayor Joseph Curtatone of Somerville, Mass., spoke about Shape Up Somerville, a seven-year-old partnership in his city that has aggressively tackled the problem of obesity. The Somerville Community Path, a rail-trail though the heart of this densely populated city that connects to both the Minuteman Bikeway and the MBTA Red Line, has been an important part of the city's anti-obesity efforts by providing residents of adjacent neighborhoods with a safe place to walk and bike for recreation and transportation.

The success of the Somerville Community Path as part of a larger effort to combat obesity provides lessons for pathways in other cities. In an effort to understand the nuts and bolts of these and other best practices for urban trails and greenways, RTC's Urban Pathways Initiative is convening a forum in New Orleans on February 25, part of a larger conference called Urban Pathways to Livable Communities. The forum will bring together advocates and professionals working on urban pathways in cities across the nation, including a representative from Somerville, to discuss the challenges and successes they have experienced in their efforts to make pathways in urban neighborhoods safe, inviting and popular places for transportation and physical activity

By providing space for a casual walk, jog or bike ride to residents of neighborhoods without many other options for regular physical activity, urban pathways become a key component of addressing the national challenge of obesity.

City Mouse, Country Mouse: How Trail Users Differ

Patricia Tomes (RTC) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:19:00 GMT

RTC's Northeast Regional Office is completing work on a report of trail users and economic impact analysis for the Schuylkill River Trail in southeast Pennsylvania. The trail runs from downtown Philadelphia, connecting to commuter transit lines and continuing northwest toward Valley Forge National Historic Park and farther into suburban and rural areas. Covering a total of 56 miles, the trail is currently broken into three sections of open pathway.

In order to get a clear picture of the trail users' priorities, we decided that separating the survey respondents into metropolitan area users and suburban/rural users would be most helpful for the trail management.

The categories that showed substantive differences between metropolitan users and suburban users are:

Age group: The majority of users in the metropolitan section are younger than 46. In the suburban section, the majority are older than 46.
Primary activity: Though cycling is the primary activity on both sections of trail, nearly twice as many people are jogging on the metropolitan section than on the suburban section.
Economic impact: The metropolitan users reported spending an average of $10.04 per trail visit, while the suburban trail users spent an average of $8.07.

Fifty percent of users on the Schuylkill River Trail spend an average of $9.07 per visit to the trail. That's a total of $3,628,000 local economic impact from expenditures on consumable products such as snacks, water or meals.

The report was developed for the Schuylkill River Greenway Association and the Schuylkill River Trail Council through funding provided by the William Penn Foundation. Learn more about the survey and read a final report on survey results.

Photo of Schuylkill River Trail by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (original post edited 1/28/2010). Post edited again 03/03/2010 to include link to final report.

Rail-Trail Activities Can Help You Stick to New Year’s Resolutions

Lindsay Martin (RTC) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:35:00 GMT

It’s that time of year again. With holiday indulgences behind us and the promise of a new year ahead, one of the most popular resolutions for Americans is to start – and stick to – a regular exercise routine.

Here are some ideas for using your local rail-trail to help keep your exercise resolution:

Rail-Trail Exercise Club – Join a running or walking club, like the So Yo Trail Blazers, which meets on Saturday mornings at the Heritage Rail Trail County Park in Pennsylvania.
Rail-Trail Race – Training for a running or cycling race is another good way to incorporate regular exercise into your schedule. There are a number of races on rail-trails around the country, including the Pace of Courage in Portland, Ore.; the Katy Trail 5K in Dallas, Texas; and the Cumberland Valley Rail-Trail Race, Run, Ride, and Ramble in southern Pennsylvania.
Commuting Convoy – Join other bicyclists in your area in riding to work regularly, like the Don’t Sweat It! morning rides that RTC hosted last October on the Metropolitan Branch Trail in Washington, D.C.

These activities also help build awareness and support for your local rail-trails. If you can’t find a group in your area, invite your friends and neighbors and start your own. You’ll be exercising regularly in no time. And when you need a little extra motivation, the other members in your group will be there to nudge you on.

Photo by Stephen Miller/Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Call for Safe Routes to School Examples in Low-Income Communities

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:35:00 GMT

Many urban pathways serve low-income communities. The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is searching for examples of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs in these neighborhoods. They are also seeking examples of SRTS programs that relate SRTS to student health and wellness.

From Margo Pedroso/Safe Routes to School National Partnership:

With generous funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Public Health Association, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership is developing two different SRTS resource guides. One is for volunteers and professionals working locally with low-income and diverse communities to showcase promising strategies and success stories. The other is for education professionals and policymakers at state and local levels, focused on how SRTS fits into state and local efforts to improve health and fitness.

We are asking our partners to help identify local communities with promising SRTS initiatives that can be featured in either of the resource guides. Read on for more details:

Promising examples of SRTS in low-income and diverse communities: We are looking for examples of low-income, urban, rural, and/or communities of color that show promise in implementing SRTS and overcoming barriers like crime, limited financial resources, language and cultural barriers, staff turnover, and more. Please send any suggestions to Margo Pedroso at margo@saferoutespartnership.org.
Promising examples of SRTS as part of student health and wellness: We are seeking examples of schools, school districts, or states that have included SRTS into broader efforts to get children healthy and active. We aim to help demonstrate why student physical activity impacts a schools' core mission of educating children. Please send any suggestions to Margo Pedroso at margo@saferoutespartnership.org.

Thank you very much for your help in identifying promising local SRTS examples and prospective consultants. With your input, we can develop two outstanding resources guides that will help strengthen the implementation of SRTS initiatives across the country.

RTC Welcomes East Bay Bicycle Path to Rail-Trail Hall of Fame

Karl Wirsing (RTC) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:08:00 GMT

At a ceremony held on the pathway itself in Bristol, R.I., the East Bay Bicycle Path officially became part of the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame on October 9, 2009. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's (RTC) Carl Knoch spoke at the induction and presented Hall of Fame signage to Robert Paquette, chief of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management's Division of Parks and Recreation. Also attending were Steve Church from Rhode Island's Department of Transportation Planning Division, Bristol Town Council Chairman Ken Meyers, Bristol Town Administrator Diane Mederos, and a host of trail supporters.

"The East Bay Bicycle Path is a prime example of a multi-use trail that can serve the transportation, health and recreational needs of Rhode Island's citizens," says Knoch, manager of trail development for RTC's Northeast Regional Office.

The 14-mile rail-trail is the 12th member of the Hall of Fame. The corridor hugs the shores of Narragansett Bay from India Point Park in Providence south to the sailing town of Bristol. It's an expressway for commuters and outdoors activity, with frequent stops in parks and local downtowns. Visitors enjoy bay scenes and marshlands, woodlands and residential neighborhoods.

Since 2007, the RTC has been recognizing exemplary rail-trails around the country for induction into the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. Rail-trail inductees have been selected on merits such as scenic value, high use, trail and trailside amenities, historical significance, excellence in management and maintenance of facility, and geographic diversity. The five-year recognition program runs through 2011 when the 25th and final Rail-Trail Hall of Fame inductee will be selected, coinciding with RTC's 25th Anniversary.

Photo of RTC's Carl Knoch presenting Hall of Fame signage courtesy of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Hit the Trail for Better ZZZs

Karl Wirsing (RTC) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:26:00 GMT

Wear yourself out during the day, sleep better at night, right? Most people have probably long assumed this connection, but a new study has made the extent of the correlation between exercise and sleep clearer than ever. Just published in The New York Times, the study found extensive evidence that increased physical activity during the day improves both how quickly you'll fall asleep at night and how long you'll sleep. So if you're shooting for a sound night of rest, you can't go wrong adding more trail time into your daily routine! Find a great pathway near you at TrailLink.com, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's free trail-finder website and the most robust source of online maps, descriptions, photos, user reviews and more.

Active Transportation Programs Eligible for $650 million Available Through New Public Health Grants

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:49:00 GMT

Via Safe Routes to School National Partnership:

On September 17, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new program: Communities Putting Prevention to Work. Thirty to forty communities will receive a total of $373 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) dollars through this competitive grant program to support interventions that reduce obesity (through improved physical activity and nutrition) and/or reduce tobacco use. Communities can apply for either focus area or both. This landmark opportunity is aimed at mobilizing community resources toward broad-based policy, systems, organizational and environmental changes. The application places an emphasis on communities demonstrating effective coalitions, and notes that special consideration should be given to the inclusion of populations disproportionately affected by chronic diseases.

On September 29, 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of $120 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for prevention and wellness programs for U.S. states and territories, building on the recent announcement of the $373 million funding opportunity for communities and tribes around the country. In all, the comprehensive Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative will make $650 million available for public health efforts to address obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking.

Lead Applicants: Local and State Health Departments

Deadlines:

Letter of Intent Deadline: October 30, 2009
Application Deadline: December 1, 2009

The Opportunity for Bike/Ped and Health Officials: Communities Putting Prevention to Work provides an important opportunity for bicycle and pedestrian professionals, enthusiasts, and advocates, as well as health officials, to act quickly to get your city or state to:

Apply for the funding;
Educate the health department about the range of bike/ped interventions that can be included in their application and action plan; and
Include your organization as a partner in the effort.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has worked with our partners at America Bikes and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership to prepare a list of sample bike/ped activities that fit within the five categories of evidence-based interventions that are required as part of this CDC application. We encourage you to review these sample activities and assess which would work well in your community. Funds are available to make these projects a reality—so it is in your interest to work with your health department to develop the bike/ped aspects of the CDC application for obesity prevention, and to demonstrate how your organization can be a resource to them.

Act Now to Contact Your Health Department and City Officials: Now is the time to contact your health department and city officials to encourage them to apply, and to share your ideas on bike/ped interventions. Don’t wait – health departments are making decisions now about whether to apply, and what to propose in their grant applications.

Populations greater than 500,000: If you live in a city or county with a population of 500,000 people or more, your local city or county health department will be the lead applicant on the grant. You should find and contact the health department staff person who is the lead on physical activity or obesity. In addition, you should contact your Mayor and City Council members to urge them to ask the health department to apply for this grant with a focus on bike/ped to increase physical activity.
Populations less than 500,000: If you live in a city, county, or community with a population of less than 500,000 people, then your State Department of Health will be the lead applicant. States can only choose two communities throughout the whole state to sponsor, so it will be important to reach out soon. Work with your local health department, Mayor or members of the Board of Supervisors to encourage them to reach out to the state department of health to include your community in the state’s application.
Tribal Applicants: If you live in a tribal area, you should work with the health department lead staff on physical activity or obesity to prepare the application. Tribes are permitted to apply directly.

Application Focus: The CDC Request for Proposals notes that the “key to the success of this initiative, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, will be to implement community-wide policies, systems, and environmental changes that reach across all levels of the socio-ecological model and include the full engagement of the leadership in city government, boards of health, schools, businesses, community and faith-based organizations, community developers, transportation and land use planners, parks and recreation officials, health care purchasers, health plans, health care providers, academic institutions, foundations, other Recovery Act-funded community activities, and many other community sectors working together to promote health and prevent chronic diseases. Funded programs need to build on, but not duplicate current Federal programs as well as state, local, or community programs and coordinate fully with existing programs and resources in the community.”

Please note that construction and research are not eligible activities.

Resource Links:

Grant Information details available at Grants.gov
CDC’s Community Health Resources
Sample Bike/Ped Interventions for Communities Putting Prevention to Work
Potential Partners: Bicycle and Pedestrian Organizations Operating at Local and State Levels
Health Officials Action Alert

Chain links: Back to school time

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:10:00 GMT

It's that time of year; vacation is over and the books are waiting to be cracked. The Onion's Twin Cities edition - no joke - encourages its readers to go back to school car-free and carefree along the Midtown Greenway.
Trails spur small businesses in urban areas: The Dallas Morning News reports on a new cafe slated to open next month along the Katy Trail, serving "snacks and drinks, including wine and beer. Games, such as checkers and chess, will be free to use." The business owner was enticed to set up shop after using the trail and seeing how many people on the trail could become potential customers. Friends of the Katy Trail is in full support.
The Trust for Public land has partnered with the City of New Orleans to purchase an 18-acre parcel along the Lafitte Greenway. Blogroll member Friends of Lafitte Corridor links to the Times-Picayune article and the TPL press release about the purchase.
Plans are moving forward for replacement of the Betzwood Bridge, which connected Valley Forge National Park and the Schuylkill River Trail. The bridge was closed in 1993.
Portland, Oregon's Metro regional government has submitted four major bicycle infrastructure projects for U.S. DOT stimulus funds, including a proposal to construct the Cazadero Trail between the Springwater Corridor and Mt. Hood, allowing a continuous nonmotorized route for city residents to access nearby wilderness. Support for improved trails are strong in this area; the town of Boring, which will be the connection point between the two trails, recently hosted a fundraiser for construction of a trailhead park there.

Photo: The race is on along the Katy Trail in Dallas to capitalize on the economic potential of this urban trail. Photo by snowboard9 on Flickr.