Search results matching tag 'liability and insurance'

Community Built: Volunteers Creating and Caring for Their Trails

steve@railstotrails.org — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:48:10 GMT

With a lot of passion, creativity and elbow grease, local groups and volunteers across America are using their community strength to create incredible trails, from short neighborhood pathways to lengthy cross-state routes. These case studies and project profiles take a look at some excellent volunteer built and maintained trails across the country. They showcase groups that have accomplished amazing things with limited financial resources and strong community support, giving guidance on methods for structuring trail groups and working with local government agencies.

Canal-Waterway Trails Report

steve@railstotrails.org — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:52:18 GMT

This report from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, entitled "Development of Trails along Canals, Flood Channels, and other Waterways: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies," discusses preliminary considerations and strategies in the process of developing a trail along a waterway. Topics include: 1) Land Ownership; 2) Developing an Agreement; 3) Owner Use; 4) Liability; and 5) Maintenance, Public Safety, and Other Considerations. The report includes sample cooperative agreements between water districts and local jurisdictions for trail development.

California Rails-with-Trails: A Survey of Trails Along Active Rail Lines

steve@railstotrails.org — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:24:32 GMT

This 2009 report explores 21 rail-with-trail projects in California with a survey of trail managers and information gleaned from other reports. As rail-with-trail mileage has grown rapidly, the report gives trail advocates examples of the variety and benefits that rail-with-trails projects can provide. Sections focus on the growth of rails-with-trails, benefits, safety, liability, adjacent railroad characteristics, and design issues.

Liability and Rail-Trails in Pennsylvania

StephenMRTC — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:22:32 GMT

New trail managers are often concerned that managing a trail will expose them to liability for trail-user injuries, or worry about the high cost of purchasing insurance to protect from potential lawsuits. However, trail managers have a number of legal protections that limit their exposure to liability. As a result of these legal tools, when coupled with sound risk management practices, liability concerns should not normally be an impediment to the development or management of a trail.

Rail-Trails and Utilities

StephenMRTC — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:40:50 GMT

Rail-trails are great recreation areas, but what you might not know is that many rails-trails do double-duty as corridors for utility lines, pipes and cables. The ability of unused rail corridors to serve several functions is one of many reasons to preserve them.

Tunnels on Trails: A Study of 78 Tunnels on 36 Trails in the United States

StephenMRTC — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:54:30 GMT

During the fall of 2000, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy identified open trail tunnels across the United States, and conducted an extensive survey of the managers of these tunnels. This report presents information about the experiences of 78 tunnels on 36 trails in the United States open only to non-motorized traffic. It covers many aspects of these tunnels, focusing on typical community concerns which include safety, liability issues, costs of tunnel restoration, construction, maintenance and the impact of a tunnel on the existing transportation network and surrounding communities.

As a result of the work on this report, the authors are convinced that tunnels used to close gaps that impede bicycle and pedestrian travel represent a valuable resource that can help a community achieve its transportation goals.

Rails-with-Trails: Design, Management and Operating Characteristics of 61 Trails Along Active Rail Lines

StephenMRTC — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:49:12 GMT

This report follows two previous reports on rails-with-trails by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. The first was published in March, 1996 and the second in September, 1997.

The information in this report covers many aspects of rails-with-trails, including the extent and growth of rails-with-trails nationwide, safety performance, liability, trail design and location issues, attitudes of railway companies, obtaining easements for trails and funding.

The report is based on an extensive survey of managers of 61 rails-with-trails along with interviews and literature research. The authors had little direct contact with members of the railroad industry.

Rail-Trails and Liability: A Primer on Trail-Related Liability Issues & Risk Management Techniques

StephenMRTC — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:44:46 GMT

Questions related to legal liability for accidents or injuries on or adjacent to trails must be answered in terms of state common (judge-made) law, which varies from state to state. The following discussion provides a broad overview of trail I. Introduction liability issues, forms of protection, and a discussion of risk management techniques that can be used to minimize risk and reduce liability.

This report outlines the general legal issues associated with trails, including the risks and responsibilities of various constituencies. The intent is to provide trail advocates, adjacent landowners, and trail managers with a background on liability issues to prepare them to pose appropriate questions to their legal counsel when developing a trail or when an accident occurs. This report is not intended as legal advice. If you have a question pertaining to a trail in a specific jurisdiction you should consult a lawyer familiar with the case law pertaining to that jurisdiction.

Rail-Trail Maintenance & Operation: Ensuring the Future of Your Trail - A Survey of 100 Rail-Trails

StephenMRTC — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:12:19 GMT

This publication is based on earlier work conducted by the Pennsylvania Office of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC). “Rail-Trail Maintenance: Preparing for the Future of Your Trail” was written by AmeriCorps team member Susan Thagard and released in 1996. Bob McKinley of the Regional Trail Corporation in southwest Pennsylvania provided valuable guidance throughout its development. Soon after its release it became clear that many maintenance complexities were not fully explored. However, those missing elements were at least identified, and many are included in this second study, while others may require even more coverage in a future publication. This greatly expanded study was made possible in large part by the nearly 100 trail managers who took their time to respond to our survey.