Building Trails

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Pawnee County, Oklahoma

Posted 04/09/19 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails | Tagged with Abandonment Notices, Corridors and Railbanking, Oklahoma

Maryland Communities Are Hungry for Trails—and the Maryland General Assembly Can Help

Posted 02/27/19 by Patrick Wojahn in Building Trails, Policy | Tagged with Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Funding, Great American Rail-Trail, Local Organizing, Maryland, State and Federal Programs, TrailNation

With several landmark trail networks in progress, the State of Maryland is poised to serve as a nationwide example for other states. Marylanders are increasingly recognizing the benefits of trails for health, transportation and economic development. And many communities in the “Old Line State”—whether in the I-95 corridor’s suburban and urban areas, the fields of the Eastern Shore or the mountainous Western panhandle—are developing trail master plans and investing in trail networks.

Southeast Trail Planning Open House

Posted 02/12/19 by Avery Harmon in Building Trails | Tagged with Baltimore Blog

As you might have read in our initial blog post, we hosted a trail design happy hour on Jan. 31 at Monument City Brewing Company to talk about the southeast section of the Baltimore Greenway Trails Network. We showcased the great work being completed by one of our newest coalition partners, the American Institute of Architects Baltimore – Urban Design Committee (AIA UDC), in addition to inviting the city departments of Planning and Recreation & Parks to share information on their respective efforts to create a greener Baltimore. By the end of the happy hour, we counted close to 100 people from all over the city who showed up to learn about our recent progress and how they can get involved. This event was so successful as a direct result of our overwhelming community support and our incredible co-hosts at the Southeast Community Development Corporation (CDC)!

A View From … The Great American Rail-Trail

Posted 01/23/19 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, District Of Columbia, Featured Magazine Articles, Great American Rail-Trail, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, TrailNation, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming

Imagine what’s possible with a trail that connects the country. Imagine ... pedaling across the entire country on a safe, seamless and scenic pathway—or walking a local trail that connects along historic routes. That vision will become a reality thanks to the Great American Rail-Trail, a signature project of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) and the organization’s most ambitious TrailNation™ project yet.

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Fremont County, Idaho

Posted 12/31/18 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails | Tagged with Abandonment Notices, Corridors and Railbanking, Idaho

On or about Dec. 21, 2018, Eastern Idaho Railroad L.L.C. filed for the abandonment of 5 miles of track between Parker and Egin, Fremont County, Idaho. We are providing this information because it presents an opportunity to develop a real regional asset: a multi-use trail that can accommodate hikers, bikers, equestrians and other appropriate uses.

Missouri Trail Patron and Conservationist Pat Jones Passes Away at 93

Posted 12/19/18 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Champions, Missouri, Rail-Trail Champion, Rural Communities

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy was deeply saddened to learn that Hilda P. Jones—known to family members, friends and colleagues as “Pat,” passed away on Dec. 17 at her home in Williamsburg, Missouri. Pat and her husband the late Edward Jones, who died in 1990, are known for their important contributions to the conservation movement, including supporting the creation of two epic rail-trails in Missouri: the 240-mile Katy Trail State Park and the developing 144-mile Rock Island Trail.

The Rock Island Trail Is a 144-Mile Would Be Game-Changer for Missouri

Posted 12/17/18 by Cindy Barks in Taking Action, Building Trails | Tagged with Corridors and Railbanking, Missouri, Rock Island, RTC in Action, Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations

All along a 144-mile stretch of Missouri’s old Rock Island Line, rural communities formerly known as railroad towns have been looking forward to a new possibility: a multiuse trail that would revitalize the long-unused train tracks.

Meet America's New Rail-Trails of 2018

Posted 12/17/18 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Best Of, California, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington

This year was an exciting one for the rail-trail movement; as 2018 comes to a close, nearly 2,100 rail-trails are now open across the country. These trails add value in so many ways—increasing our mobility, improving our health, spurring economic development, protecting our environment and creating powerful connections within and between communities. Please join us in welcoming some of these newest arrivals!

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Alachua County, Florida

Posted 12/14/18 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails, Taking Action | Tagged with Abandonment Notices, Corridors and Railbanking, Florida

On or about Dec. 6, 2018, CSX Transportation Inc. filed for the abandonment of 0.23 mile of track in Gainesville in Alachua County, Florida. We are providing this information because it presents an opportunity to develop a real regional asset: a multi-use trail that can accommodate hikers, bikers, equestrians and other appropriate uses.

More Than $340,000 Secured for Epic Trail Corridor in West Virginia

Posted 12/11/18 by Kelly Pack in Success Stories, Building Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Funding, IHTC, Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Destinations, West Virginia

Big news for trails in West Virginia! This Fall, the West Virginia Department of Transportation announced that it had awarded two grants totaling more than $343,000 through the state’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) for trail projects in Marion and Wood counties. The TAP awards will specifically help acquire three segments of disused CSX corridor totaling 3.35 miles along a developing 150-mile stretch of rail-trail from Parkersburg to the state’s border with Pennsylvania.

Eight Critical Wins for TrailNation in 2018

Posted 12/05/18 by Liz Thorstensen in America's Trails, Building Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, Best Of, Biking, California, Capital Trails Coalition, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Encouraging Trail Use, Facts and FIgures, Florida, Funding, Health and Active Living, Health Organizations, IHTC, Local Organizing, LowerRioGrande, Mapping and Technology, Maryland, Miami LOOP, New Jersey, Route of the Badger, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, Transportation and Health, Urban Pathways, Virginia, Walkability and Bikeability, West Virginia, Wisconsin

This past year, RTC worked with hundreds of partners across TrailNation to secure funding, provide technical expertise and generate public support for trail networks that are proving vital to the people and places they serve. Here is a spotlight on some of the critical project advances we made in 2018—and how they are bringing to life our vision of trails at the heart of healthy, thriving communities.