Demand for Trails Page 8

Cowboy Trail in Nebraska | Photo courtesy Ken Ratcliff | CC by 2.0

Nebraska Celebrates New Section of Cowboy Trail in Sheridan County

Posted 10/09/15 by Amy Kapp in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Nebraska, Trail Communities

Thanks to the efforts of Cowboy Trail West, Inc. and the Nebraska Game and Park Commission, three miles (two sections) of the Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail in Gordon and Rushville have just been completed, culminating in a public dedication on Oct. 3., 2015.

Photo courtesy Missouri Rock Island Trail, Inc.

Final Missouri Rock Island Trail Segment Confirmed in 450-Mile Trail Network

Posted 10/01/15 by Amy Kapp in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Missouri, Rock Island, Success Stories

On Sept. 30, 2015, Jackson County, Missouri, Executive Mike Sanders and KCATA President Joe Reardon announced that a cooperative agreement was reached to purchase a 17.7-mile section of disused Rock Island Corridor stretching from Kansas City to Lee’s Summit for future rail-trail conversion. This is the last peg in the planned 200-plus-mile Rock Island Trail and a 450-mile trail network that spans the width of the state.

Photo courtesy En Why | CC by 2.0

World-Class Trail Network in Missouri Just Got 47 Miles Closer to Reality

Posted 09/23/15 by Liz Thorstensen in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Missouri, Rock Island

On Sept. 17, 2015, Governor Jay Nixon announced the planned completion of 47 miles of trail from Windsor to Pleasant Hill, Missouri. This project comes on the heels of another significant announcement—the railbanking of 144 miles of the former Rock Island Line between Windsor and Beaufort, Missouri. Together, these developments take on epic significance, suggesting the potential for a world-class trail system.

Burke-Gilman Trail | Photo by Barbara Richey

What’s the Real Impact of Trail Use in America? RTC Is About to Find Out.

Posted 09/02/15 by Tracy Hadden Loh in Building Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Tourism and Economic Stimulus

This August, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) embarked on the first-ever nationwide survey of trail use, a major component of RTC’s three-year T-MAP initiative. The tools developed through T-MAP are expected to change the standards for trail development in the United States—revealing the most effective and powerful ways to integrate urban trails into full-fledged active-transportation networks.

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.

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.

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.

RTC's 2015 West Virginia Rail-Trail Sojourn | Photo courtesy Cleo Fogal

100 Riders, 3 Days, 7 Trails (and Sheep!): RTC's 2015 West Virginia Sojourn

Posted 05/04/15 by Tom Sexton in Building Trails | Tagged with Biking, Demand for Trails, Pennsylvania, Sojourn Series, Trail Communities, Walkability and Bikeability, West Virginia, Why Use Trails?

On April 24, 2015, approximately 100 people came together for RTC’s 2015 West Virginia Rail-Trail Sojourn. This 122-mile, three-day bike ride through four counties and seven rail-trails promised beautiful landscapes, warm communities and lots of adventure—and we weren't disappointed! Here are a few highlights from this incredible event.

Poll Reveals Broad Support for Federal Investment in Biking and Walking

Posted 12/10/14 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Federal, Walkability and Bikeability

In September, RTC engaged leading Republican and Democratic pollsters to find out what likely 2016 voters for both parties really thought about the federal role in encouraging active transportation. The remarkable poll findings are an important tool for trail builders and supporters as they continue to fight back attacks against trail funding.