RTC TrailBlog : rail-with-trail

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

Jake Lynch — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

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.

The Bronx Needs Your Help to Bridge The Gap

Jake Lynch — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:00:00 GMT

Like many waterways through America's cities, the Bronx River in New York has seen better days. Industrial waste and the impact of millions of people living on and around its banks made the river suffer mightily from pollution in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

But local efforts to restore and protect the Bronx River and its watershed are having a real impact, raising awareness of the river's plight and putting in place measures to reduce pollution, restore native vegetation and stabilize this vital ecosystem that runs through the heart of the Bronx to the confluence of the East River and the Long Island Sound.

A key part of that effort is the creation of the Bronx River Greenway, a network of trails and preserved public green space extending eight miles along the watershed. However, despite tremendous progress on this wonderful local project, the City of New York and local supporters recently hit a wall in the development of a small, but critical, section of trail alongside a former rail line.

Amtrak and the New York State Department of Transportation have been unable to reach agreement on indemnification and liability issues related to the construction of a pedestrian overpass. Without this link, more than 100,000 residents in adjacent neighborhoods will remain cut off from the river, the new parks along its banks, and an invaluable bike and walking trail system.

You can help. The Bronx River Alliance is gathering signatures to send to Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, urging them to push ahead with negotiations with Amtrak. It's easy for you to do - just fill in the petition. The people of the Bronx will thank you!

Images courtesy bronxriver.org

Rhode Island Taps RTC for Help with Rail-With-Trail Project

Jake Lynch — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:00:00 GMT

By Jake Lynch

With the people of Aquidneck Island, R.I., keen to improve their amenities for walking and biking, they've called on Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) to examine the feasibility of a rail-with-trail along a line currently used for tourist service.

RTC's Manager of Trail Development in the Northeast, Carl Knoch, led a public presentation for the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission and Bike Newport last week on the viability of rail-with-trail projects, and opportunities to ensure the best return on investments in bike/ped infrastructure.

The community is looking at developing a trail, referred to in these early stages as the Shoreline Bikeway, alongside the line currently used by the Old Colony Railway and the Newport Dinner Train (right). Though other instances around the country have shown that tourist train operators sometimes oppose trail development, the train operators in Aquidneck Island can see the benefits it would bring to the island and the generation of more visitor activity. According to an article in the Newport Patch, the owner of the Newport Dinner Train, Bob Andrews, attended the forum and said he supported the bikeway and looked forward to being involved in the project.

The Shoreline Bikeway would improve access to Aquidneck Island's natural areas, provide a healthy transportation alternative, and connect residents and visitors to other recreation and transportation routes. Leaders of all three of the islands municipalities have stated that active transportation is a priority in the region, in order to increase physical activity and reduce motor vehicle congestion.

"The trails aren't a cost, they're an investment," Knoch said at the forum.

With widespread support from all areas of the community, proponents are now exploring funding and design options for the project.

Photo courtesy Newport Patch

In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Business is Booming Around Urban Trails Network

Jake Lynch — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 20:13:00 GMT

By Jake Lynch

It used to be that "bike friendly community" was a term you thought you could pigeonhole. Oh sure, Portland and Seattle, right? And dense, hip, urban metropolises, yes? New York, D.C...

Yes, and Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The third largest city in a state that was this year judged the least bike-friendly state in America, Fayetteville has for the past decade put an urban trails system, and bike and walkability, at the heart of its development plans.

And it's booming. Fayetteville's population has grown 27 percent in the last decade, and in the past few years has been ranked one of the best places to go to college, to do business, to retire, or to live, work and play. It is no coincidence that this acclaim has come as the city's long-range trails and greenways plan has started to come to fruition.

"The success of the Fayetteville trails system grew from the community's vision back in the 1990s for a viable alternative transportation system," says City of Fayetteville Trails Coordinator, Matt Mihalevich. "Over the past 10 years, we have worked toward providing a connected network of trails, and are currently up to 21 miles of 10- or 12-foot-wide paved trails within the city. The primary goal of the network is to provide an alternate form of transportation. And we are seeing this goal realized, with more than 2,000 people using some of the busier trails each day."

One of the key segments of that system is the Frisco Trail, which utilizes both active and inactive sections of rail corridor running north-south through the heart of the city. Although relatively short at 1.3 miles, the historic layout of the rail corridor, bisecting the downtown area, makes the Frisco Trail a natural "spine" for the broader trail system. It also connects locals and visitors with the vibrant entertainment center on Dickson Street with newer developments on the south side of Fayetteville. Like the best urban rail-trails, it provides users with human-powered access to a myriad of restaurants, arts centers, schools and libraries, neighborhoods and open spaces. And the Frisco Trail provides a seamless connection with the Scull Creek Trail, which itself connects with the Mud Creek Trail further north of downtown.

Mihalevich says the Frisco Trail and its connections have now become a focal point and catalyst in Fayetteville's development.

"In the last few years the city has experienced a steady increase in residential and commercial urban projects close to the trail, creating a positive and sustainable economic impact for the city," he says. "The trail system has been instrumental in advancing our planning goals of discouraging suburban sprawl, prioritizing urban infill development and growing a livable transportation system."

One of the developers drawn to the city by its trail system is the Specialized Real Estate Group, which is currently building an apartment complex for more than 600 residents close to the Frisco Trail. The Sterling Frisco development will target students and staff at the nearby University of Arkansas and young professionals.

Last month, Sterling executives partnered with Mihalevich and a local business school on a bike tour which featured discussion of the benefits of transit oriented development, and an exploration of opportunities for business development along the Frisco Trail corridor.

"The trail is such an integral part of the character of the site that we chose to name this project after the Frisco trail and historic rail corridor," says Specialized Real Estate Group President Seth Mims. "The people we serve love the connectivity and health benefits of the trail. There are obvious environmental benefits of choosing walking or biking over using a car, and these benefits give our developments an edge over conventional apartments built on the outskirts of town. In addition to our proximity to campus, we chose to build on the trail to give residents access to the entertainment district and greenspaces."

Mims says the company plans to offer a bike loan program to encourage residents to take advantage of the trail.

A natural offshoot of the popularity of Fayetteville's trails is the strong team of volunteers that has grown around it. In a great piece of community organizing, the local parks and recreation department created the Trail Trekkers program. The goal of Trail Trekkers - local people who use and appreciate their trails - is to serve as models of proper trail etiquette, help others with trail navigation, report hazards and maintenance needs and keep an eye out for potential safety concerns.

What the Frisco Trail, and Fayetteville's network, has done for Fayetteville has not been lost on the other cities in Northwest Arkansas. The Fayetteville system is now the anchor of the planned R azorback Regional Greenway, 36 miles of active transportation pathways connecting Fayetteville to the cities of Springdale, Lowell, Rogers and Bentonville. When complete, the Razorback Regional Greenway will link six downtown areas, three major hospitals, 23 schools, the University of Arkansas, the corporate headquarters of WalMart, JB Hunt Transportation Services and Tyson Foods, shopping areas, parks and residential communities. Having witnessed firsthand the connection of active transportation infrastructure to Fayetteville's residential and commercial growth, regional planners and politicians know a good thing when they see one.

But the development of the Frisco Trail suffered the same opposition as many rail-with-trail projects. Arkansas & Missouri Railroad, which owns and operates the active (though lightly-used) line, were worried that putting a trail close to active train tracks would be a public safety hazard and liability concern.

"But what we have seen from the real-life operation of rail-with-trail pathways is typically the opposite," says Kelly Pack, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's (RTC) director of trail development and one of the authors of an upcoming RTC study on rail-with-trails. "Creating a designated, safe pathway reduces the inclination of people to make their own way along or across the tracks. And through good design, such as a fence or natural landscaped barrier, for example, the users can be kept very separate and exist without incident."

Such was the case in Fayetteville. Prior to the creation of the trail, the rail corridor was often used as a makeshift pathway in and out of the popular entertainment district, and there had been several accidents involving trains and late night revelers.

"The trail and fencing provided a safe alternative, and people no longer walk the tracks like they had in the past," Mihalevich says. "The railroad is pleased."

Photos: Top, a local coffee shop beside the section of Frisco Trail along active rail line
Middle, trail construction in Fayetteville
Bottom, the Frisco Trail.
All photos courtesy City of Fayetteville

School in N.Y. Wants Rail-With-Trail for Much-Needed Route for Students

Jake Lynch — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:00:00 GMT

By Jake Lynch

Everyone agrees that getting more children walking or riding to school each day would be a great thing. The regular exercise would do them the world of good, not to speak of keeping all those parent-taxis off the road in a.m. and p.m. peak hours.

In 1969, about 41 percent of kids walked or biked to school. Now, that number is down to about 13 percent. And in that same time period, the percentage of children who are overweight has more than tripled. This generation of young people is the first in our history expected to have a shorter average life expectancy than their parents, and inactivity is the main reason why.

However the problem isn't just lazy kids. Many communities have developed in such an auto-centric way that their roads and streets don't have sidewalks, and walking or riding is either unsafe or, in some instances, banned.

Students at Kenowa Hills High School in Michigan were suspended earlier this year for riding their bikes to the last day of classes, a ride which, incidentally, they had to take on-road as there are no sidewalks or bike lanes connecting to the school.

At Norwood-Norfolk Central School in Norfolk, N.Y., they are facing a similar challenge - students and staff are desperate to add more regular physical activity to their days, but the school is in an area where the built environment discourages active transportation. The school says it was told by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYDOT) that sidewalks would not be permitted alongside the only road that connects to the school.

No sidewalks? Okay then, how about a rail-with-trail? Luckily for Norwood-Norfolk, there is a rail corridor running adjacent to the school's playground (left). Though still active, the line is lightly-used, and school district officials are leading the push to make better use of the underused corridor as a walking and biking pathway for students, teachers and the broader community.

"It would be a definite benefit," Superintendent Elizabeth A. Kirnie told the Watertown Daily Times. "We were told by DOT, no sidewalks, no recreation on [State Route] 56. This is one possibility. We don't have a lot of alternatives."

Kirnie's aim is to create an all-season recreational trail that could be used for activities such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, walking and running. Elected officials in Norfolk and Norwood have added their support, and as a result of this coordinated application the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) has awarded the project a grant of consultancy expertise, to be provided by the Department of Interior.

Although it is still early stages for this exciting project, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's (RTC) Northeast Office has contacted RTCA staff and offered to provide technical assistance relating to rail-with-trail designs.

"Rail-with-trail is a growing part of our work," says Carl Knoch, RTC's manager of trail development in the Northeast. "These rail corridors were designed to take people and goods directly to community centers, gathering points and places of interest, which are exactly the routes modern planners are looking for today."

One of the biggest hurdles to getting approval for rail-with-trail projects continues to be the perception that having biking and walking close to active rail lines is unsafe.

"But building a designated trail area alongside such corridors can contribute to a reduction in accidents, as it provides a better alternative to walking on the actual rail line. If there is a trail there, you don't need to," Knoch says. "As these pathways prove themselves to be safe, convenient and incredibly efficient uses of otherwise underutilized land, I think more and more municipalities are going to see their tremendous value."

RTC is currently producing a report on rail-with-trail projects across America, to be released in 2013. Stay tuned.

Photo of school children walking to school in Crete, Neb., courtesy Natalie Kingston
Map view of Norwood-Norfolk Central School courtesy Google
Photo of joggers on the Springwater Corridor, Ore., courtesy Bryce Hall

Movement Begins Westward On Tennessee Central Heritage Rail Trail

Jake Lynch — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 18:00:00 GMT

The people of central Tennessee are excited about the potential of an extensive rail-trail in their region, and are wasting no time making that dream a reality.

Last Friday, the community of Monterey celebrated the official opening of the first section of what will one day be the 19-mile Tennessee Central Heritage Rail Trail.

The first half-mile of the trail, utilizing an active railroad corridor in downtown Monterey, is the first movement west of what local businesses and residents hope will showcase the Tennessee Highlands, one of the most scenic and historic regions of Tennessee, and encourage more physical activity in a state beset by the costs of obesity and inactive lifestyles.

And things will continue to move on the trail project, with construction permits for the 3.9-mile Cookeville to Algood segment already approved, and some funding secured.

Locals interested in learning more about the rail-trail's development can attend a meeting at 12 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at the Leslie Town Centre, Cookeville. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/TennesseeCentralHeritageTrail

Outside St. Louis, Rail-With-Trail Boosts Capacity of Transit System

Jake Lynch — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:30:00 GMT

It's certainly catching on - the idea that rail-trails are incredibly effective ways to improve the functioning of active urban rail systems.

In St. Clair County, Ill., on the outskirts of St. Louis, Mo., the county transit district continues to extend its heralded MetroBikeLink Trail, a paved, multi-use trail that provides a fast and efficient connection from local neighborhoods to the metro stations.

This Thursday, county leaders will cut the ribbon on a new 2.2-mile section (right) connecting the Swansea MetroLink Station and Memorial Hospital Station. The extension compliments the existing 4.7-mile MetroBikeLink Trail (below) between the Swansea MetroLink station and Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville.

"This project demonstrates just how effective our multi-modal system is in St. Clair County," county board chairman Mark Kern told the Belleville News Democrat. "We are seeing a diverse group using the trail system. By adding this 2.2-mile segment, we are further opening the system to our residents and visitors alike."

Successful rail-with-trail projects like this one, and similar projects in D.C., Massachusetts, Oregon, California, Connecticut and Texas, are helping correct the misconception that rail-trail development requires and supports the closure of rail service. Rail-with-trail projects combine the benefits of walking and biking with convenient access to urban transit. With the number of abandonments steadily decreasing since the mid-1990s, and cities looking for creative transportation designs for booming populations and diminishing space, rail-with-trail is a cost-effective and efficient solution.

"Cities these days are putting more effort into their pedestrian and bike networks. But at the same time, urban space is getting tight," says Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Director of Trail Development, Kelly Pack. "Existing rail lines are natural corridors. More often than not the right-of-way is wide enough to accommodate a trail, they are built at grade, and they are already going where people want to go."

As it becomes a critical element of day-to-travel in the area, the spine of the MetroBikeLink Trail has already spurred the development of connecting trail systems, including one from Southwestern Illinois College into the adjacent neighborhoods.

And the success of this multi-modal system has regional planners thinking big.

"It is our hope that this trail system, with the ability to hop on MetroLink or MetroBus, will link our system to the Missouri side of the river," says one local transit official.

For more information about rail-with-trail projects, visit RTC's toolbox page on the subject, and read and download our 2009 survey of trails along active rail lines in California.

Photos courtesy Metro Transit - St. Louis

Rotary Club Pursues Grand Rail-With-Trail Plan for Cleveland

Jake Lynch — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT

In Cleveland, Ohio, a local Rotary Club is demonstrating once again the remarkable creative and physical energy of America's volunteers working to improve their local surroundings.

In 1977, the Rotary Club of Cleveland began a project to improve a 200-foot section of overgrown and neglected land beside the city's red line train tracks. Three decades later, Rotary's involvement in the project has grown, and thanks to their efforts local residents and visitors to Cleveland now enjoy a two-mile length of improved greenspace along the busy transit line stretching from the Cuyahoga River to Fulton Road.

But when, a few years ago, Rotary volunteers unearthed and recycled thousands of feet of unused rail tracks alongside the active metro line, a grand idea was born. A rail-trail. Connecting five disparate neighborhoods and thousands of Clevelanders. The airport to downtown. A transportation corridor. A place for recreation. A vital corridor of vibrant greenspace cut through a dense American city.

"This could be really incredible," says Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's (RTC) Eric Oberg, who toured the site with the Rotarians. "The corridor itself is amazing, crossing the bridge over the Cuyahoga River and looking straight into the city. And the fact that it's so urban, that it connects so many people and places, and combines with an active rail line... rail-with-trail projects are super-exciting because they make such good use of land, combining many modes of travel in the one corridor."

But, says Oberg--who is manager of trail development in RTC's Midwest Regional Office--one of the particularly interesting things about Rotary's rail-trail vision is the Rotarians themselves.

"This isn't a trail group, it's not a city transportation initiative--it's a civic group just taking the reins and following an idea they know would be great for their city," he says. "If this idea catches on, there are thousands of Rotary groups, Kiwanis groups, other civic groups across the county. It could do awesome things for how we develop new trail systems and greenways."

As Rotary's Lennie Stover acknowledges, the precedent they are setting in Cleveland represents "a whole new way of developing public greenspace." That's because the work already completed by the Rotary Club volunteers has substantially kick-started the completion of a connected public trail, reducing its estimated cost by $800,000, and the time to build by more than a year. Stover wonderfully describes the corridor as the city's "hidden treasure, waiting to be discovered and opened by its people."

The Rotary Club is in the process of gathering public support for the project, so share this story where you can. And if you live in Cleveland, get in touch and see how you can help. Good things await.

Photos courtesy Rotary Club of Cleveland

Rail-With-Trail Project Moves Ahead in Tennessee

Jake Lynch — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 17:30:00 GMT

Great news from the city of Cookeville in central Tennessee with an exciting rail-with-trail project there moving through the stages of approval.

It is hoped the Cookeville City Council will this week give approval to phase two of the Cookeville Trail, a 3.7-mile section along an active railroad track from the Algood ball fields to Parragon Road.

The Cookeville Trail will eventually run 19 miles from Cookeville east to Monterey. Also referred to as the Tennessee Central Heritage Trail, the project has been funded by a $600,000 Transportation Enhancements (TE) grant to the city of Cookeville. In announcing the grant last year, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said the rail-with-trail would “provide its residents and visitors with a livable, walkable community.”

“The Tennessee Central Heritage Trail project gives a unique opportunity to showcase the area’s history and character,” Haslam said. “I’m pleased we could make this investment in Putnam County as we work to make Tennessee an even better place to live, work and play.”

Map courtesy of Crouch Engineering.

Rail-with-Trail a Natural Fit for Busy Cities

Jake Lynch — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:45:00 GMT

Though it is true that the rail-trail movement in America was born from a need to better utilize out-of-service rail corridors, much has changed since the pioneering railbanking legislation was passed more than 25 years ago.

The first rail-trails were recreational pathways through largely wild and rural areas. But now, rail-trails have spread in both their mileage and influence, to form bustling commuter routes in big cities, and avenues to connect inner-city residents with open spaces, and each other. This evolution of rail-trails has paralleled the development of a more dynamic understanding of urban growth, and a focus among planners in recent years on density and connectivity as keys to building more sustainable human habitats.

All of these themes came together last week in Washington, D.C., for Rail~Volution 2011, a series of workshops and symposiums on the role of transit, and transit-oriented development, in shaping urban landscapes that are socially, environmentally and economically more intuitive.

Though at first look it might not appear that Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) would be a natural partner to these discussions, given that many of our projects rely on the abandonment of rail service, in fact a growing focus of our work these days is on trails that run parallel to, and complement, existing transit systems.

Rail-with-trail projects combine the benefits of walking and biking pathways with convenient access to urban transit. With the number of abandonments steadily decreasing since the mid-1990s, and cities looking for creative transportation designs for booming populations, rail-with-trail is often a cost-effective and efficient solution.

RTC's 2009 study of rails-with-trails in California found that rail-with-trail mileage has increased fivefold in the past decade, up from 11.4 miles in 2000 to 60 miles by the end of 2009.

In the D.C. area, the Metropolitan Branch Trail, which runs for eight miles next to Metro's Red Line, MARC commuter service and active CSX freight and Amtrak lines, allows people to commute by bike or foot to the heart of the nation's capital from Silver Spring and Takoma Park, among a number of burgeoning neighborhoods.

Kelly Pack, RTC's director of trail development, is involved with promoting use of the Met Branch Trail and led a workshop at this year's Rail~Volution. She says that rail lines were built to provide a direct route between important residential or commercial centers, and are therefore perfect avenues for trails to follow.

"Cities these days are putting more effort into their pedestrian and bike networks. But at the same time, urban space is getting tight," Pack says. "Existing rail lines are natural corridors. More often than not the right-of-way is wide enough to accommodate a trail, they are built at grade, and they are already going where people want to go."

Pack says that a potential sticking point in building a trail next to a rail line can be the railroad owners' liability concerns--if anyone is injured or killed on the tracks, the owner can be sued. However, the evidence of rail-with-trail projects tells us that building a dedicated biking and walking trail next to a rail line, with appropriate barrier and safety precautions, cuts the likelihood of such incidents to almost zero.

"Reassuring rail operators that they are in fact reducing their exposure is one of the main challenges for rail-with-trail proponents," Pack says.

Another is state legislation. Some states have updated their State Recreation Use Statutes to explicitly include railroads. This measure provides another layer of liability protection to the railroads. In states such as Virginia and Maine, innovative legislation has extended the protection inherent in recreational use statutes to the owners of railroads. In the same way that a farmer is not liable if a mountain biker breaks her leg on a section of the farm's right-of-way, so too are rail owners protected in case of accidents on a rail-with-trail. The more legislation there is like this, the more railroad companies and transit agencies will be open to trail proposals.

In California, there are at least five more rails-with-trails in various stages of development, including major projects such as the Coastal and Inland Rail Trails in San Diego County, the Coastal Rail Trail in Santa Cruz County, and the SMART corridor in Sonoma and Marin counties.

These urban pathways will soon join the Met Branch Trail, the Connecticut Riverwalk and Bikeway in Massachusetts, the Springwater Corridor in Oregon, and dozens more rails-with-trails across the country, in providing millions of Americans with convenient and safe access to an efficient active transportation network.

Photo of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (top) by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Photo of the Martin Luther King Promenade in California courtesy of TrailLink.com.

TE Grant Kicks Off Rail-with-Trail Project in Washington State

Jake Lynch — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:00:00 GMT

Construction is now under way on the first segment of the 33-mile Chelatchie Prairie Rail with Trail, just east of the city of Battle Ground in southern Washington.

The initial one-mile segment will run from the entrance road inside Battle Ground Lake State Park southwest along the county-owned railroad tracks to Washington State Department of Natural Resources land. The new trail will be 10-feet wide and paved.

In April the Board of Clark County Commissioners awarded a $406,800 contract to a local construction firm for clearing, excavation and grading, concrete and asphalt paving, erosion control, signing, landscaping and other work. When that work is completed, local equestrian and hiking groups plan to use volunteers to build an adjacent soft surface trail. It is hoped the trail will open to the public later this year.

The total cost of this first segment, including design, land, construction and inspection, is $728,600, more than half of which was provided by a grant from the federal Transportation Enhancements program.

Clark County originally planned to build a 2.8-mile trail, connecting Battle Ground Lake State Park with Fairgrounds Park in Battle Ground. However, wetlands, steep slopes and sensitive wildlife habitat made that project more expensive than originally estimated, so it has been scaled back to stay within the original budget. County officials will continue to apply for grants, pursue partnerships and explore ways to build future sections of the entire 33-mile trail.

The Chelatchie Prairie Rail with Trail Corridor Study was approved by the county in 2008 after extensive public input. The planned trail will improve pedestrian safety and enhance recreation.

The start of work on the Chelatchie Prairie Trail is the latest in a series of good news for trail users and advocates in the region.

∙ The 2010 Clark County Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Use Snapshot showed that overall bicycle and pedestrian usage of area trails continues to increase.

∙ Late last year Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation partnered with health insurer Kaiser Permanente and local public land managers to publish a free trails map. It is hoped the map, which is available at community locations all throughout Clark County, will improve access to, and awareness of, local trails in the area.

∙ It was recently announced that the city of Vancouver, Wash., will host the 2012 Washington State Trails Coalition Conference, an interactive forum centering on protecting, promoting and enhancing a statewide system of trails.

For more information on trails activity in Clark County, contact Regional Trail Planner Lisa Goorjian at Lisa.Goorjian@cityofvancouver.us.

Photo: The Chelatchie Prairie Trail isn't open yet, but trail activity in the Vancouver area is booming; courtesy of Lisa Goorijian.

DC Prep Brightens up the Met Branch Trail

Jake Lynch — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:03:00 GMT

The opening of the Met Branch Trail in Washington, D.C., last year provided a great resource for commuters and nearby communities. One year later, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is working to help those who live, work and play near the trail make the most of this multi-faceted facility.

On Friday, RTC staff members Kelly Pack, Stephen Miller and Lindsay Martin joined local artist Quest Skinner, fitness trainer Chikaro Martin and a group of D.C. Prep School 2nd and 3rd graders for a special work party on a section of the trail in Edgewood.

Between their school building and the trail, the students already tend a vegetable and flower garden. Drawing inspiration from that garden on Friday, the students painted a mural with the bright and bold colors of tomatoes, grapes, apples and vines.

Out on the adjacent trail, Martin gave the youngsters an energizing workout, with relay races and agility exercises, demonstrating how the trail is a great place for recreation and an asset for keeping our communities fit and healthy.

The event was part of a growing partnership between RTC and DC Prep, whose staff and students use the trail regularly. Click on the photo at right for more pictures of all the fun!

Photos by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Montour Trail Council Partners with Natural Gas Company to Construct Rail-with-Trail

Patricia Tomes (RTC) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:12:00 GMT

The Montour Trail Council has successfully negotiated for a three-mile rail-with-trail near Pittsburgh to be built by MarkWest Energy Partners of Denver, Colo. MarkWest is transporting natural gas by rail and needs an additional three-mile section to connect the processing facility with an active mainline.

A common concern expressed to RTC's Northeast Regional Office about the increase in gas drilling is the additional heavy truck traffic, making the roads less safe for bicyclists. Montour Trail Council’s negotiation with MarkWest may be unique, but it provides further proof that rails-with-trails are an ideal partnership that present an opportunity for communities faced with increased traffic and unsafe conditions.

The Montour Trail Council also just announced a successful negotiation with another energy company, Range Resources, for a gas lease on more than 180 acres of land owned by the trail council. The council will create an endowment fund with the initial $511,000 payment on the lease. You can learn more about this arrangement in the latest edition of the Montour Trail-Letter.

The Montour Trail Council stated they are aware of the many environmental and community concerns associated with drilling for natural gas, but they feel they have been diligent in protecting the interest of the trail.

An Intern(al) Review

Karl Wirsing (RTC) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:30:00 GMT

by Marshall Pearson

When I was much younger, I would ride my bicycle everywhere. Nearly every day, I'd zip around Huntington Woods, Mich., on a little black BMX model, going to the community center, a friend's house, the pool, the library, or often just for a joyride. Back then, I felt like there was no place my bike couldn't take me.

As I got older and moved away, I relied on a bicycle less and less. Riding in the street felt more dangerous. Going to the mall seemed impossible. I couldn't impress any girls with a bike, so it stayed in my garage.

In college, however, my life changed yet again, and I found enough space for a bicycle. Going places on two wheels became both practical and enjoyable. I attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, for four years, and the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway (a rail-with-trail) allowed me to pedal to the farmers' market for groceries. I would use the path for late-night excursions with friends to the abandoned boxcars dormant along one section of the path, or cycle the 33-mile roundtrip to Nelsonville on a lazy Saturday. Frankly, I owe my relative sanity to that bicycle, both for the functional and exhilarating role it played in my life.

Later, as I observed the larger context surrounding the bikeway and bicycle culture in Athens, I realized I wasn't the only person relying on it. Local residents living outside the city still had access to the trail, and many would use it to get to their jobs at local businesses or the university. Athens is squarely in the middle of Appalachia, and many of its citizens face poverty every day. Some residents cannot afford vehicles, but the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway helps them access jobs, food and other necessary services.

Once I saw the broad effect a simple path could have on my community, I began to see my hobby in a different light. Not only was bicycle commuting possible in larger cities, but it was possible anywhere. I soon became interested in changing how cycling is viewed, and how it can be used in an entirely new model of sustainable transportation. That led me to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), where I have worked as a communications intern since early September.

Working at RTC has taught me a great deal about how policy influences bicycling, but it has also shown me that the bicycle is only one part of the non-motorized future of transportation. I have learned that the thinking, as well as the infrastructure, of transportation must be re-evaluated and reformed in order to make walking and bicycling regular--and safe--options to get around.

For even the shortest of trips, many Americans do not have an accessible route to walk, ride a bike or take public transportation. Massive amounts of federal, state and local funds are allocated to maintaining highways every year, but a vastly disproportionate amount is being set aside for alternative transportation.

I believe we need a sea change in our perception of transportation. That is why RTC is important to me--it's an organization that understands the consequences of embracing what author Daniel Sperling refers to as a "car-centric monoculture." The people here work tirelessly to promote alternatives to automobiles and congested roadways. Whether they are negotiating trail-friendly policies with politicians or in the courts, or working with local entities to bring rail-trails to fruition, the employees of RTC are endeavoring to change the public view of the trails, walking and bicycling movement.

I don't have that black BMX model anymore, but I have thankfully rediscovered the joy I first felt when riding it. For me, biking will always be far more than just a hobby. The more I learn about cycling's vibrant culture, the more I realize its potential. A bicycle can't take you everywhere, but I hope our country learns to give cycling, as well as other non-motorized options, a chance to grow.

Photo of Marshall Pearson courtesy of Marshall Pearson; photo of Hockhocking Adena Bikeway through Ohio University's campus by Will Elder.

Join RTC on Thursday at the New England Bike-Walk Summit

Stephen Miller (RTC) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:34:00 GMT

The first-ever New England Bike-Walk Summit is being held in downtown Providence, R.I., on Thursday, October 7. A gathering of agency personnel, grassroots activists and private sector professionals, this conference includes sessions on a wide variety of topics, from the economic development potential of biking and walking to a legislation roundtable. The summit even includes an afternoon field visit to the Woonasquatucket River Greenway, which serves immigrant communities in Providence's Olneyville neighborhood.

RTC staff will be on panels to discuss our Urban Pathways Initiative and the rail-with-trail concept. On Facebook, you can join the group and RSVP to the event -- but don't forget to register. We look forward to seeing you there!

Photo of Blackstone River Bikeway by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.