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Focus Term: Design


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Webinar – Trails as Social Infrastructure: Practical Strategies to Build Connection in a Disconnected World 
April 23, 2026
This webinar explored the growing social connection crisis in North America and positioned trails as critical social infrastructure, not just transportation or recreation assets. Speakers from Rails to Trails Conservancy, the U.S. Chamber of Connection, and Toronto’s Bentway shared research, real-world examples, and strategies showing how thoughtfully designed and programmed trails can rebuild trust, belonging, and well-being. The conversation […]
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What I Learned Speed Dating for Trails
November 10, 2025

Six conversations that left a lasting impact at the 2025 TrailNation Summit World Café in Cleveland, Ohio.

The trail world came together in late October at Rails to Trails Conservancy's 2025 TrailNation Summit in Cleveland, Ohio.
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WEBINAR – TrailNation Spotlight – Trails and Greenways: Beyond the Path
September 19, 2025
Join us for a new TrailNation Spotlight series highlighting innovative trail network development across the country and foster peer-to-peer learning. These concise, high-impact sessions offer a unique opportunity to hear from trail network innovators, explore successful strategies, and build momentum for this infrastructure across the country. This is the third in a series of deep […]
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San Francisco Bay Trail Design Guidelines and Toolkit 2.0 (2025)
July 01, 2025
This document provides guidance for designing a unified, consistent trail to create a positive user experience. Guidelines specific to the Bay Trail are intended to help agencies and other implementation partners respond to the varied contexts and challenges along the trail, as well as the many types of trail users. A lot has changed since […]
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Court Sides with Advocates for Derry Rail Trail Tunnel in Lawsuit Over Historic Rail Corridor
June 30, 2025

The Committee to Save the Derry Rail Trail Tunnel and RTC celebrated a victory in their lawsuit against the New Hampshire DOT and the FHWA.

Preferred Design - In 2020, NHDOT proposed and FHWA approved a design for the Derry Rail Trail similar to the example below. That design complied with Section 4(f) and meets the expectations of the Committee, RTC and the public
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Webinar – Trail-Oriented Development: How Trails Create Connected Communities
May 08, 2025
Trail-Oriented Development (TrOD) is an innovative planning approach that integrates multiuse trails with residential and commercial development to create walkable, bike-friendly communities that enhance mobility, promote healthier lifestyles, and strengthen local economies. Similar to Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), TrOD clusters businesses, housing, and other amenities around trails to foster vibrant, connected neighborhoods. Join the TrailNation Collaborative, […]
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Mid-South Regional Resilience Master Plan
April 12, 2025
Resilience is vitally important to every single person living in the Mid-South. Climate and weather-related shocks and stressors have major impacts on safety and quality of life for all residents, regardless of age, income, race, community, etc. Mitigating these threats and building the capacity to bounce back quickly from disasters will keep residents safe and […]
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Trails as Resilient Infrastructure
April 12, 2025
This guidebook demonstrates how trails are part of resilient transportation infrastructure, how trails can be planned and designed to be resilient and sustainable, and how trails have a role in emergency planning and response. Trails of all kinds are places for recreation, exercise, and active transportation. Trails are also a crucial tool for making communities […]
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STEP: Improving Visibility at Trail Crossings
June 13, 2024
The focus of this resource is on improving the driver’s visibility of trail users at roadway crossings. The document presents a systemic approach to reviewing existing crossings or planning for improved at-grade trail crossings with engineering countermeasures, such as enhanced signs and traffic controls. This resource discusses ways to make crossings more visible to drivers. […]
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Best Practices Synthesis and Guidance in At-Grade Trail-Crossing Treatments
September 01, 2023
At-grade trail crossings have frequently been the sites of bicycle, pedestrian, and snowmobile crashes in Minnesota and throughout the nation. To date, many resources exist for use in the design of trails and intersections, such as the MnDOT Bikeway Facility Design Manual, while guidelines of traffic control at roadway-trail crossings are covered in the MN […]
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