Building Trails Page 12

How One RTC Grant Will Unlock Florida's Latest Long Distance Rail-Trail

Posted 09/05/14 by Ken Bryan in Building Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Florida, RTC in Action

Photo © B. Kraig McLane

The Palatka Trail, through Putnam County in the northern part of the state, is part of a grand effort to connect a trail system between St. Augustine and Lake City. RTC's latest Project Support Grant—funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation—is making possible the short extension of the Palatka Rail Trail west to U.S. 17.

Full Story
Photo © Zachary Marsh

Putting It All Together: How One Pennsylvania Agency Is Turning Community Trail Visions into Reality

Posted 09/04/14 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in Building Trails, Policy | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Government Agencies, Pennsylvania, State and Federal Programs

For many, government agencies represent a land of endless bureaucracy, where dreams of new trails wither, bogged down by mountains of paperwork and red tape. Not so at the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), which has played a key role in creating new trails for over two decades. To date, Pennsylvania has more than 1,700 miles of trails.

All photos courtesy Columbia Parks and Recreation

Ties That Bind: A New Trail System Is Creating—and Strengthening—Connections in Columbia, Mo.

Posted 08/26/14 by Katie Harris in Building Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Connected Systems, Missouri, Products of Good Policy, State and Federal Programs

Columbia, Mo., is a city with a few tricks up its sleeve. Its charm starts slowly, unassumingly, disguised as just another Midwestern college town, but after spending some time there, exploring the tree-lined streets by foot or riding part of the trail system, you may just become hooked. And you wouldn’t be the first to fall under Columbia’s charismatic spell.

All photos © Tweetsie Trail

Here Comes the Tweetsie Trail! Local Tenacity Built Tennessee’s Newest Rail-Trail

Posted 08/14/14 by Kristen Martin in Building Trails | Tagged with Corridors and Railbanking, Local Organizing, Tennessee

The 10-mile stretch of corridor between Johnson City and Elizabethton—located on the historic East Tennessee & Western North Carolina (ET & WNC) line—had not had any rail traffic since 2003. The line was no longer profitable, and its owner, Genesee & Wyoming, Inc., began to weigh its options.

Photo © Streetsblog USA

An Engineering Wonder, a Bike Commuter’s Dream: The Cal Park Hill Tunnel

Posted 08/12/14 by Katie Harris in Building Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with California, Connected Systems, Design Strategies, Products of Good Policy, State and Federal Programs

Christina Toms’ commute is the definition of multi-modal. From her front door in Fairfax, Calif., she hops on her bike and cruises down to the Larkspur ferry terminal. From there, she catches the ferry that brings her across the bay to the city of San Francisco. That commute is possible in large part to the Cal Park Hill Tunnel, an engineering triumph that makes the vital connection between San Rafael and Larkspur in Marin County, Calif.

Photo CC King County Parks - Eli Brownell

Tunnel Vision: New Mural on the Burke-Gilman Trail Gives Tunnel a Facelift

Posted 07/18/14 by Katie Harris in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Urban Pathways, Washington

Here’s a nice article from our friend Gene Bisbee, avid cyclist, author and man behind Washington State’s Biking Bis blog. In his post, "Colorful mural replaces drab walls of bike trail tunnel,” Bisbee gives an update on the Wayne Tunnel on the Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle, Wash. Named to RTC’s Rail-Trail Hall of Fame, the Burke-Gilman is a cherished trail by Seattle residents and visitors alike, and this mural is a beautiful addition!

Photo © Jeff Clabotti

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Marion County, Ind.

Posted 06/24/14 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails, Taking Action | Tagged with Abandonment Notices

On or about June 16, 2014, CSX Transportation, Inc. filed for the abandonment of 1.49 miles of track within Indianapolis in Marion County, Ind. The corridor is located just south of the existing Central Canal Towpath. 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.

Photo © Ed Yourdon

RTC Launches Development of Game-Changing Trail Planning Tool

Posted 06/12/14 by Tracy Hadden Loh in Building Trails | Tagged with Case Studies, Connected Systems, Facts and FIgures, Mapping and Technology, RTC in Action

Earlier this month, RTC announced the launch of T-MAP (Trail Modeling and Assessment Platform), a three-year, $1.2-million initiative with the potential to set a new standard for trail planning in America. In partnership with researchers and trail managers in 12 U.S. cities, RTC will lead the first-ever nationwide survey of urban trail use and produce planning models and metrics that can forecast the returns on investment that trails stimulate around the country.