Accessibility is integral to trail development—it ensures that trails are available to all users, including people with disabilities—and we want to make sure that you have the tools and information you need to enhance accessibility on your trails. This webinar provided an overview of the proposed Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) for shared-use paths. The webinar also […]

The passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) means that our work has just begun to make sure that state and local partners can make the most of new funding opportunities. Join Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) to hear what comes next for federal funding and discuss how your trail and active transportation projects can meet the […]

What strategies and policies have or can be used by cities to build or preserve affordable housing near green amenities and urban trails? In this brief, we provide a review of the academic literature on strategies to preserve and build affordable housing with respect to green amenities and urban trails. We look at a variety of strategies including shared equity […]

The Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition’s (IHTC’s) 1,500-miles-plus network vision spans 51 counties across Western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, 79 eastern Ohio and the southwestern corner of New York. When complete, the trail network will comprise the largest shared-use trail system in North America for tourism, physical activity and recreation. The plan tocomplete the network is […]

Whether you are building a new trail or already maintaining one, planning for routine trail maintenance is critical, but often overlooked aspect of the budgeting process. This webinar will introduce planning and budgeting tools that helps determine the cost of base level maintenance tasks, which, once accurately determined and differentiated from rebuilding and life-cycle costs, […]

Research Summary: Neighborhood Change and Gentrification Near Three Urban Trails Authors: Greg Lindsey, Yunlei Qi, Torsha Bhattacharya, Tracy Loh Published: October 2021 Read the full article in the journal, Findings, published October 2021: rtc.li/gentrification-study In recent years, some studies have suggested possible correlation between trails and gentrification. These studies tended to examine high-profile trails in markets […]

Kevin Mills, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)’s vice president of policy, will be on hand to provide timely updates on the negotiations, discuss what’s next, and answer your questions. We will also be joined by Marianne Fowler, RTC’s senior strategist for policy advocacy. Panelists: Kevin Mills – Vice president of policy, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)  Marianne Fowler- Senior strategist […]

Working alongside utility companies across the country, trail entities have often used utility corridors to help build safe and accessible trails for local communities. Some of these most visible trails span miles under large power lines, but utility corridors refer to any passages built below or above ground that carry utility lines, such as electricity, […]

This article from Rails to Trails Magazine’s Fall 2021 issue narrates how trail developers in Wisconsin along the Route of the Badger, and around the nation, are finding willing partners in utility companies to lay down some miles.

Trails provide people with safe and inexpensive spaces for outdoor physical activity, commuting and recreation. They can serve as economic catalysts, opening up opportunities for neighborhood reinvestment. They also provide critical “social infrastructure”—public spaces where people can meet, interact and build relationships. The key to maximizing these benefits is ensuring every stakeholder in a community […]