Connected Systems Page 7

Katy Trail State Park | Photo by Aaron Fuhrman

RTC’s 2018 Doppelt Grants Invest in 9 Trail Projects, Filling Critical Gaps in Trail Funding

Posted 05/22/18 by Eli Griffen in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with California, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Funding, Hall of Fame, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Trail Communities

Since 2015, RTC’s Doppelt Fund has awarded nearly a half-million dollars in grants to nonprofits and government agencies working to develop and improve multiuse trails. This year, RTC is awarding the most annual funds yet to the most awardees, with more than $140,000 going to 10 worthy recipients.

Railroad bridge seen from the Mon River Trail | Photo by Ella Belling

The P2P: World-Class Trail Network to Kick-Start Bike Tourism Boom in West Virginia and Pennsylvania

Posted 05/17/18 by Kelly Pack, Jake Lynch in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Corridors and Railbanking, Demand for Trails, IHTC, Local Organizing, Pennsylvania, RTC in Action, Rural Communities, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, TrailNation, Walkability and Bikeability, West Virginia

The P2P corridor heads east out of the Ohio River port city of Parkersburg, along the North Bend Rail Trail, through small, rural communities like Cairo, West Union and Salem. Seventy-eight percent of the 150-mile West Virginia section is already complete, with a few key gaps in Wood, Harrison and Marion counties.

Milwaukee Skyline | Photo courtesy iStock by Getty Images

USDOT Cites RTC’s BikeAble Tool in Report on How to Assess Connectivity

Posted 04/27/18 by Shane Farthing in Building Trails | Tagged with Bike Commuting, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Facts and FIgures, Health and Active Living, Mapping and Technology, Route of the Badger, Trail Communities, TrailNation, Walkability and Bikeability, Wisconsin

Active transportation is all about getting people where they need to go safely in a human-powered way—usually on foot or by bike. Yet we know from both research and everyday experience that many trips can be scary or stressful to make by walking or biking. Without proper infrastructure to make those trips safer, most people with a choice won’t leave their cars behind—resulting in less active and healthy lifestyles.

A cyclist enjoying the view of the Josiah White II canal boat while riding along the D&L Trail. | Photo courtesy Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor

2018 Pennsylvania Sojourn Spotlight: A Journey Along the D&L Trail

Posted 04/23/18 by Elissa Garofalo in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Connected Systems, Health and Active Living, Healthy Aging, History Happened Here, Maintenance and Volunteers, Pennsylvania, Sojourn Series, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Walkability and Bikeability

The D&L Trail that connects residents and visitors to this amazing story as well as the health, economic, environmental and cultural attributes along its path. The D&L Trail and organization are managed by a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that coordinates the collective efforts of public, private and volunteer stakeholders who celebrate and preserve the pathway.

San Francisco Bay Trail in Fort Mason, California | Photo by Cindy Barks

How California’s “Prop. 68” Could Be a Big Win for Trails, Walking and Biking

Posted 04/16/18 by Andrew Dupuy in Policy, Building Trails | Tagged with BATC, California, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Ecology and Environment, Facts and FIgures, Funding, Local Organizing, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities

The Parks, Environment and Water Bond, on this June's statewide ballot as Proposition 68, or “Prop. 68,” includes major funding opportunities for trails, biking and walking. We’re encouraging all California voters to get out and vote yes in June on this long overdue $4 billion investment in parks, trails and clean, safe water.

Morgantown's Caperton Trail, part of the Mon River Trail System | Photo by James Riel

West Virginia and Pennsylvania’s Parkersburg to Pittsburgh Corridor

Posted 04/16/18 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Bike Commuting, Community Events, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Encouraging Trail Use, Facts and FIgures, Health and Active Living, IHTC, Maintenance and Volunteers, Pennsylvania, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Communities, Trail of the Month, TrailNation, TrailsTransform, Walkability and Bikeability, West Virginia

The P2P: It’s a small acronym that holds a world of promise. Extending from Parkersburg to Pittsburgh (P2P), the developing 238.5-mile route connecting northern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania by trail would be a gamechanger for the dozens of small, rural Appalachian towns that have seen the Cinderella story of the highly successful Great Allegheny Passage so close at hand.

South Baltimore community leaders and RTC staff walk the Gwynns Falls Trail while discussing how the trail is supporting community needs by providing access to open space and nearby public transit. | Photo by Avery Harmon

Two Plans Converge to Connect Baltimore’s Green Space

Posted 03/22/18 by Avery Harmon, Jim Brown in America's Trails | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, Connected Systems, Design Strategies, Ecology and Environment, Equity, Health and Active Living, Heritage and Restoration, Local Organizing, Maryland, Trail Communities, TrailNation, TrailsTransform, Urban Pathways, Walkability and Bikeability

On March 14, Baltimore publicly launched its Green Network Plan—a citywide initiative to redevelop vacant land—and connect natural areas and community corridors—through a series of greening projects, including recreation areas, trails and urban gardens. As Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) continues to work with Baltimore’s leaders and citizens to create a 35-mile trail network in the city, we are honored to have been included in this historic plan—an important step toward realizing our shared vision of a more connected and vibrant city.

Erie Lackawanna Trail | Photo by Eric Allix Rogers

Indiana's Erie Lackawanna Trail

Posted 03/16/18 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Community Events, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, Heritage and Restoration, History Happened Here, Indiana, Success Stories, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Walkability and Bikeability

Northwest Indiana’s Erie Lackawanna Trail offers an experience of beautiful contrasts. The region boasts sandy dunes, a glimmering Great Lake and windswept prairies, but also has a rich industrial and railroad heritage, some of the largest cities in the state, and the urbanization and cultural vibrancy that comes with its close proximity to Chicago. The diversity and bounty of these surroundings is well matched by the area’s growing system of interconnected multi-use trails that’s allowing near-seamless people-powered transportation between these natural and manmade assets. The nearly 18-mile Erie Lackawanna Trail alone connects to or is in close range of half dozen other trails.

Hank Aaron Trail | Photo by Cindy Barks

Reimagining the Civic Commons with Carol Coletta

Posted 03/15/18 by Brandi Horton in America's Trails | Tagged with Bike Commuting, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Encouraging Trail Use, Equity, Health and Active Living, Rural Communities, SXSW, Trail Communities, TrailsTransform, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

I caught up with Carol Coletta, senior fellow with the American Cities Practice at the Kresge Foundation, at the SXSW Cities Summit to talk about reimagining the civic commons—the Kresge Foundation’s initiative focused on revitalizing and connecting public places such as parks, plazas, trails and libraries. We chatted about shifting perceptions about these public places and managing them in ways that connect people of all backgrounds, cultivate trust and counter the trends of social and economic fragmentation in cities and neighborhoods.

Brandi Horton interviews Karina Ricks at SXSW 2018 | Courtesy RTC

Live from SXSW With Karina Ricks on the Future of Mobility—and the Role of Trails for Communities

Posted 03/14/18 by Brandi Horton in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Bike Commuting, Community Events, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Design Strategies, Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, IHTC, Mode Shift, Pennsylvania, SXSW, Trail Communities, TrailNation, TrailsTransform, Transportation and Health, Urban Pathways, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Rails to Trails is at the SXSW Cities Summit this week, exploring the role of trails in the cities of the future. I caught up with Karina Ricks, director of the City of Pittsburgh’s Office of Mobility and Infrastructure. We talked about the city’s mobility needs and world-class trails—and the intersection of opportunity and infrastructure in a city that’s at the forefront of the future of mobility.

Mario Brown from the Center for Health Equity at the University of Pittsburgh and Adventure Cycling member George Thomas in front of Bertie Hall, along the Niagara River Recreation Trail in Ontario, Canada, during the 2007 inaugural tour of the Underground Railroad Bicycling Route | Photo by C. Spratling, courtesy Adventure Cycling Association

Five Rail-Trails Along the Underground Railroad

Posted 02/15/18 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails | Tagged with Canada, Connected Systems, Facts and FIgures, History Happened Here, New York, Ohio, Trail Businesses

Spanning more than 2,007 miles between Alabama and Canada, the Underground Railroad (UGRR) Bicycle Route, memorializes the network that helped slaves escape to freedom before and during the Civil War.

Chicago Lakefront Trail | Photo by TrailLink user kristincreager

Best Trails of 2017 According to You!

Posted 01/25/18 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Success Stories, Health and Wellness, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, California, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Ecology and Environment, Encouraging Trail Use, Hall of Fame, Health and Active Living, History Happened Here, IHTC, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Route of the Badger, TrailNation, Vermont, Walkability and Bikeability

America has an amazing collection of multiuse trails with scenery and experiences as diverse as the country itself. More than 3,800 trails are currently included on TrailLink.com, our nationwide trail-finder database—and more are added every week. Here, are the top 10 most-viewed trails by the 7 million+ trail enthusiasts who visited the website last year.