Connected Systems Page 6

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.

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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.

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 © Mighk Wilson/Commute Orlando

By Rail and Trail: SunRail Service Opens a Whole New World on Florida's East Coast

Posted 08/05/14 by Jake Lynch in Trail Use | Tagged with Connected Systems, Florida, Rail-with-Trail, Tourism and Economic Stimulus

2014 has already been a huge year for trails in Florida, with funding secured for the Coast-to-Coast Connector project, the All Aboard Florida rail-with-trail proposal building steam and locals beating back a number of political threats to active transportation.

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.

Photo © Jordan Hart

Ohio's Great Miami River Trail

Posted 06/01/14 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Ohio, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

For those whose hearts call out for adventure as the summer begins in earnest, the fully paved, sinuous Great Miami River Trail irresistibly beckons. Nestled within western Ohio's Miami Valley, the 86-mile trail winds through woodsy parks beneath the soft rustle of tall, broad-leafed trees, quietly glides into the rich green and gold hues of farm country, and resonates with all the vibrancy and excitement of Dayton at its center.

Photos CC Meet Minneapolis

Heart of Minneapolis: The Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway

Posted 04/25/14 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Minnesota, Trail Communities

At the heart of Minneapolis’ world-class trail system is the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, a series of seven segments of interconnected parks and parkways that loop around the city, acting as a key connector to the entire network of city parks and trails, and more than 300 miles of regional trails. The 7 segments are connected by 51 miles of paved pedestrian paths and (mostly) separate bike paths, as well as 55 miles of driving parkways that give the Grand Rounds its status as a national scenic byway.

Photo © Three Rivers Park District

It’s All About Connections: A Vision for the Dakota Rail Regional Trail

Posted 04/18/14 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Minnesota, Tourism and Economic Stimulus

Welcome to the Dakota Rail Regional Trail, a pathway currently less than 30 minutes west of the Twin Cities by car. As you may have guessed from the name, the trail was a railroad corridor owned by several companies over the years, including the Dakota Rail. Before its closure in 2001, the railroad ran through three counties from Wayzata, Minn., to Hutchinson, Minn., in McLeod County.

Photo CC www.flickr/beyondDC via Flickr

Cycle Tracks: Part of the Active Transportation Solution

Posted 11/13/13 by Amy Levner in Building Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Healthy Aging, Urban Pathways

With the number of regular bikers on the rise, cities are starting to realize that people need safe places to ride. Bike lanes, trails and paths are being built by the mile. Forward-thinking cities know that making it easy for people to ride goes beyond the creation of healthy citizens; it provides a cost-effective way for people to get around.

Sundial Bridge | Photo by Beth Young, CC by 2.0

The Road to a Thousand Wonders

Posted 09/12/13 by Bryan Goebel in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with California, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Featured Magazine Articles, Health and Active Living

The astonishing Sundial Bridge peeks out from a tall canopy of cottonwood trees as I approach Redding, Calif., on Highway 44. It looks like an enormous white harp or an egret. Designed by Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, the eight-year-old bridge radiates over the lush green landscape, linking both sides of the Upper Sacramento River where it makes a wide turn at Turtle Bay.