In 2013, California’s Senate Bill 99 created California’s first active transportation program. Earlier in the year, the governor had proposed cuts to active transportation funding. A coalition of advocates—including Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the Coalition for Recreational Trails, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, California WALKS, the California Bicycle Coalition, PolicyLink, TransForm and the Public Health Institute—pushed […]

A Resource for Planners, Agencies and Advocates on Trails Along Active Railroad Corridors Rails-with-trails are safe, common, and increasing in number. These are the standout findings of America’s Rails-with-Trail Report, a defining new study on the development of multi-use trails alongside active freight, passenger and tourist rail lines. Rails-with-trails are valuable assets in providing safe transportation networks […]

Trails have been shown to offer a variety of benefits. Despite these benefits, some concerns have been expressed by homeowners. Critics of new trail development continue to raise questions about the suitability of trails in neighborhoods. Such concerns include apprehension that trails will lower property values, increase crimes, cause traffic and parking problems and affect […]

This is a Multi-purpose Recreational Trail Easement Agreement between the Franklin County Metro Parks and Camp Chase Railroad Company for a multi-use trail adjacent to the CCRA rail line. The railroad will provide access to the right-of-way, and the park district will build and maintain the trail, including fencing. Created by Franklin County Metropolitan Park District

This 2012 lease renewal between Union Pacific Railroad and the Rockford Park District defines the premise of use and property agreements between the railroad and the Rock River Recreation Path in Rockford, Illinois. The city is required to indemnify Union Pacific from damages and provide proof of liability insurance at an amount determined by the […]

The main objectives of this report were to provide the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) with guidelines for the structural design of bicycle trail pavement and recommendations for bicycle trail pavement maintenance. A design procedure based on three construction traffic factors and three pavement load levels was developed for Portland cement concrete, hot-mix asphalt, and […]

This manual serves as a technical resource to guide parks and transportation agencies as they plan, design, and fabricate wayfinding signage along regional trails in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area. Metro and its partners developed the manual in response to requests from the public for better uniformity and consistency of signage along regional trails. Additional impetus […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]