Why predict the cost of the network? The Capital Trails Coalition seeks to create an 800-miles-plus world-class network of multiuse trails that are equitably distributed throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region. The trail network is a key strategy in an effort to create a healthier, more connected populace. With the third-highest amount of traffic in the nation, […]

RTC’s study “Active Transportation Transforms America” finds trails deliver potential economic benefits of $138.5 billion annually.

A key goal of the 11th Street Bridge Park is to serve as an anchor for equitable and inclusive economic growth. The Bridge Park’s design strategies will increase connectivity between those living on both sides of the Anacostia River, but more must be done to ensure that residents and small businesses nearby will continually benefit from […]

Executive Summary: In West Virginia, an incredible opportunity awaits. The 238-mile Parkersburg to Pittsburgh (P2P) rail-trail is already nearly 80 percent complete; just a few short gaps exist in West Virginia to unlock a contiguous 150-miles-plus stretch of the rail-trail from Parkersburg to the state’s border with Pennsylvania. Completing these short gaps in Wood, Harrison […]

The Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Rail-Trail is a multi-use stone trail located in rural northeast Pennsylvania that has significant snowmobile use. It generally follows the border of Susquehanna and Wayne counties and reaches to the New York state line from its southern terminus near the city of Carbondale.  From December 2015 through October 2017, Rails-to-Trails […]

The Mon River Trail System is a vibrant 48-mile rail-trail network in north central West Virginia and a critical link in the Parkersburg to Pittsburgh connection envisioned by the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition. The Mon River Trail System Economic Impact study revealed the system’s impact on the region and Monongalia County’s growing economy, where business […]

This report summarizes a study of the business impact of the Mon River Trails System (MRTS), a network of 48 miles of trails in north-central West Virginia that has been in operation in-whole or in-part since 1998. The findings from the work are applicable for many audiences, including trail advocates, elected officials, economic development entities […]

Multi-use trails bring recreational and health qualities to regions, but what is overlooked sometimes is the overall economic impact along with the increased livability that these trails can inevitably bring. This study looks into how small town south Louisiana has embraced its very own rail-trail, the Tammany “Trace,” as the clear recreational jewel and envy […]

In 2013, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) conducted a study of six connected trails (the Trails) that make up the central leg of the developing 270-mile Erie to Pittsburgh Trail (EPT) and are located in northwest Pennsylvania. The Trails are connected by geography, history and marketing. Owned, operated and maintained by several trail organizations and municipalities, the […]

Across the United States, many conversions of abandoned railroad rights-of-ways into trails have faced opposition from surrounding property owners. Much of the opposition derives from the fear that developing trails would cause a decrease in property values because of loss of privacy, increase in noise, traffic, litter and crime. The objective of this study is to assess the […]