Executive Summary THE GREAT AMERICAN RAIL-TRAIL VISION Imagine pedaling across the entire country on a safe, seamless and scenic pathway—or walking a local trail that connects you to historic routes from across the country. You’re enthralled in the experience of exploring America’s heritage—its potential, its beauty and bounty, its people and places. Consider the intimacy […]

Micromobility has transformed how Americans move through their communities, including on multiuse trails. Personal and shared mobility options such as electric-assist bicycles (e-bikes) and e-scooters (scooters)  are now common in all types of communities. Rails to Trails Conservancy offers the perspectives in this document to assist communities, trail managers and policymakers in making decisions about […]

Executive Summary The Great American Rail-Trail Vision Imagine pedaling across the entire country on a safe, seamless and scenic pathway—or walking a local trail that connects you to historic routes from across the country. You’re enthralled in the experience of exploring America’s heritage—its potential, its beauty and bounty, its people and places. Consider the intimacy […]

The purpose of the LVRT Management Plan is to articulate a cohesive, community defined vision for the completed trail system and identify strategies to support the management, maintenance, operations, community connections and economic development opportunities along the trail. Author: Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTRANS)

The Guide for Maintaining Active Transportation Infrastructure for Enhanced Safety addresses maintenance of active transportation facilities for achieving mobility, accessibility, safety, and equity goals. The Guide presents a case for maintaining active transportation facilities as an integral component of a Complete Streets approach and discusses common maintenance issues impacting pedestrians, bicyclists, and micromobility users; temporary, […]

Join the TrailNation Collaborative, powered by Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC), for an interactive discussion exploring federal funding streams for trail maintenance. Participants will learn about the funding opportunities available, and have a chance to engage directly with their peers through breakouts on barriers and strategies to make the most of these opportunities.   During this […]

Electric bicycles (e-bikes) represent a rapidly growing transportation mode and evolving policy area in the United States. E-bikes present an opportunity to reduce car travel, improve health, and increase access for traditionally underserved populations; however, the relationship between e-bikes and safety, infrastructure, equity, and the environment are not fully understood and remain of interest to […]

When most people go out on the trail, they are looking to have fun, be healthy, enjoy nature and bond with friends and family. This is true—regardless of one’s age or ability. By hosting inclusive events, trail professionals can create a welcoming environment that allows everyone to participate and enjoy the trail experience. This webinar […]

Whether you are building a new trail or already maintaining one, it is critical to determine your maintenance costs. Once you determine baseline costs you can more accurately determine  if your practices and methods are cost-effective. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, together with several local trail managers, has created a worksheet to enable you to capture your maintenance costs […]

The costs of rail-trail and multiuse trail maintenance are not well documented as a discipline—thus making it very difficult to compare practices for gaining cost savings and efficiencies. The purpose of this table is to quickly give a general sense of the routine maintenance cost per mile of various types of multiuse trails in different […]