building trails Page 9

The 606 in Chicago, Illinois| Photo courtesy life is good (pete) | CC by 2.0

Five New American Rail-Trails

Posted 08/04/15 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Trail Destinations

As the rail-trail movement thrives, new pathways are popping up in urban, suburban and rural communities—increasing human mobility, protecting natural resources and wildlife, improving public health and sparking outdoor tourism and stewardship. Here is a quick look at five new rail-trails across the country.

Manhan Rail Trail in Massachusetts | Photo by Lynne Graves, courtesy Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism | CC by 2.0

Keeping an Eye on Federal Bike/Ped Spending: RTC Releases TrADE Report

Posted 07/30/15 by Tracy Hadden Loh in Policy, Building Trails | Tagged with Funding, State and Federal Programs, Transportation and Health

Every year, the Transportation Alternatives Data Exchange at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (TrADE @ RTC) compiles a spending report that provides transparency and valuable comparisons for people interested in transportation policy. This report breaks down the funds apportioned by state, as well as the funds states spent on projects that qualify for reimbursement (obligations) through TAP. The 2014 report was recently released; here are a few highlights.

Dunbar greets participants of RTC's 2015 Pennsylvania Rail-Trail Sojourn | Photo by Cleo Fogel

Dunbar, Pennsylvania, Is Ready for a Trail Renaissance

Posted 07/27/15 by Katie Harris in Building Trails, Taking Action | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Pennsylvania, Sojourn Series, Trail Communities

I ride into Dunbar, Pennsylvania, at the hottest part of the day. The sun is beating down on me, and the sleepy southwestern Pennsylvania town looks misty through my sweat-drenched vision. Even in my fatigued state, I immediately know this place holds something unique, something special.

Photo courtesy Hector Parayuelos | CC by 2.0

Enhancing the Everglades Through Environmentally Responsible Transportation

Posted 07/13/15 by Jane Yeager Cheffy in Building Trails, Taking Action | Tagged with Ecology and Environment, Encouraging Trail Use, Florida

The proposed River of Grass Greenway—a 12-to-14-foot-wide separated pathway that would run roughly parallel to U.S. 41 (Tamiami Trail) in Florida—allow access to natural areas while providing opportunities for active transportation. Learn more about this environmentally sound trail project.

Walnut Street Bridge in Chattanooga | Photo courtesy The Trust for Public Land

Transforming Chattanooga: How Rail-with-Trail Is Shaping the City's Future

Posted 06/26/15 by Katie Harris in Building Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Rail-with-Trail, Tennessee

Dubbed the "Dirtiest City in America" in 1969, the Chattanooga of today is leaps and bounds away from that bleak vision. The "Scenic City" now boasts a flourishing outdoor culture and can proudly consider itself a healthy place for recreation, green space and living a full and healthy life.

Photo courtesy Doug Wertman | CC by 2.0

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Decatur, Norton and Phillips Counties, Kan., and Harlan County, Neb.

Posted 06/17/15 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Taking Action, Building Trails | Tagged with Abandonment Notices, Corridors and Railbanking, Kansas, Nebraska

On or about June 12, 2015, Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado Railway filed for the abandonment of 57.31 total miles of disconnected track in Decatur, Norton and Phillips Counties, Kansas, and Harlan County, Nebraska. 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.

An illustration of "tourists riding bicycles" by A.B. Frost, circa 1896 | Courtesy Library of Congress

History Happened Here: Sidepaths and the Persistent Dreams of Trail Building

Posted 05/27/15 by James Longhurst in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Biking, Demand for Trails

In the middle of the 21st-century bike boom, the rail-trail movement is the most successful way to build trails for bikers and walkers. But it’s certainly not the first; many other plans for trail building have come and gone. Bicyclists were looking for places to ride just as soon as the high wheel appeared in America. This guest blog by Dr. James Longhurst explores the evolution of bike paths.

A still-standing coaling tower relic on the Armstrong Trail | Photo by Ron Steffey

A Well-Fought Battle for Good: The Armstrong Trail

Posted 05/23/15 by Katie Harris in Building Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Overcoming Opposition, Pennsylvania, Success Stories

The 36-mile Armstrong Trail was forged in a fire hotter than any other. And, as the saying goes, those types of fires forge the strongest steel. Read about the incredible history of the creation of this western Pennsylvania rail-trail.

A future section of the Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway

Meet Janet Phillips, Tenacious Leader of the Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway

Posted 05/14/15 by Katie Harris in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with California, Walkability and Bikeability

Janet Phillips, president of the Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway, doesn’t shy away from a challenge. During a full career working in water resources along the Truckee River in California, she noticed a notable missing component to the corridor along the river: a trail. And instead of wishing for one to appear, she took action.