Focus Term: Urban Communities
Blog
How to Get to US World Cup 2026 Events by Trail, Walking, Biking and Public Transit
May 27, 2026
Explore how to get to U.S. World Cup events by trail, public transit and discover nearby attractions without needing a car.
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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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Integrating Transit, Bicycling and Micromobility in Northern Virginia
March 01, 2025
Integrating transit with bicycling and micromobility can benefit both transportation modes.Connecting these modes can result in benefits like increasing transit access, expanding transit’sreach and the efficiency of its services, while also increasing the use of both bikeshare and dockless micromobility. This report studies the integration between these modes in Northern Virginia. Author: Northern Virginia Transportation […]
Blog
Trail Moments | Swapping a Car for a Bike? Here’s What I Learned.
July 07, 2022
I decided to purchase my own e-bike and conquer my own fears of biking in the city. That was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
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Urban Pathways to Healthy Neighborhoods: Promotion and Programs
March 01, 2012
Trail advocates sometimes use the old mantra, “Build it and they will come,” to describe the immediate success of new trails. But complexities of the built and social environments in urban areas present factors that may affect trail use and require programmatic interventions to encourage use once the trail is constructed. Research indicates that strategies […]
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Urban Pathways to Healthy Neighborhoods: Personal Safety
March 01, 2012
Studies have shown that trails themselves do not generate crime. However in many urban areas, crime and safety are serious, pervasive issues, and even the perception of trail safety may influence trail use. Addressing concerns about crime and violence is particularly important in low-income urban communities where residents, especially children and women, may not be […]
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Urban Pathways to Healthy Neighborhoods: Connections
March 01, 2012
Urban Pathways Initiative (UPI) is a program of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy that advocates for equitable investment in vulnerable communities to promote the health, transportation and environmental benefits of trail use. UPI provides community-based assistance to groups and municipal agencies which promote or develop pathways intersecting low-income communities. Through case studies in Memphis, TN, Houston, TX, Compton, CA, and New Orleans, LA, this […]
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Urban Pathways to Healthy Neighborhoods: Art
March 01, 2012
Urban Pathways Initiative (UPI) is a program of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy that advocates for equitable investment in vulnerable communities to promote the health, transportation and environmental benefits of trail use. UPI provides community-based assistance to groups and municipal agencies which promote or develop pathways intersecting low-income communities. Through case studies in Chicago, IL, Washington, DC, Richmond, CA, and Cleveland, OH, this fact […]
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Urban Pathways to Healthy Neighborhoods
January 01, 2012
This primer explores the benefits of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Urban Pathways Initiative (UPI), a program that advocates for equitable investment in vulnerable communities to promote the health, transportation and environmental benefits of trail use. UPI provides community-based assistance to groups and municipal agencies which promote or develop pathways intersecting low-income communities. This report shares lessons learned from UPI and focuses on strategies to encourage […]