State and Federal Programs Page 6

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 CC rp_photo via Flickr

Congress Passes Short-Term Fix for Transportation Funding; So What Will Happen to Trails, Walking and Biking?

Posted 08/04/14 by Patrick Wojahn in Policy | Tagged with Federal, State and Federal Programs, Threats to Trail Building

On July 31, 2014 the Senate agreed to pass H.R. 5021. This bill, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives the week before, will temporarily shore up the Highway Trust Fund and extend the current MAP-21 transportation funding bill, originally to fund transportation through Sept. 30, 2014, until May 2015.

Photo CC Five Rivers MetroParks via Flickr

Don't Take the Road Toward Health This Summer. Take the Trail!

Posted 07/23/14 by Elissa Southward in Health and Wellness | Tagged with Champions, Encouraging Trail Use, State and Federal Programs, Tennessee

Walking is a great (and free!) way to get outdoors and get some exercise! Walking is associated with reductions in risk of dementia, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer (breast and colon in particular) and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, being outdoors and around greenery can help with concentration and stress recovery, and sunlight on the skin leads to vitamin D production, which helps fight off cancer, osteoporosis and heart attacks.

Photo CC Radloff via Flickr

Fighting for TIGER: Thousands of Trail Supporters Speak Out

Posted 06/13/14 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in Taking Action, Policy | Tagged with Federal, State and Federal Programs, Threats to Trail Building

On Monday, we asked trail users like you to support TIGER, a critical federal program that supports investments in trails, walking and biking. In just a few hours, thousands of you wrote to your representatives, and thanks to your swift action, support for TIGER has only grown.

Photos © Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

RTC’s Marianne Wesley Fowler Named 2014 Rail-Trail Champion

Posted 06/06/14 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Taking Action | Tagged with Champions, Rail-Trail Champion, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs

RTC is excited to announce Marianne Wesley Fowler of Alexandria, Va., as this year’s Doppelt Family Rail-Trail Champion—a designation honoring Fowler’s incredible contributions to RTC and the rail-trail movement over the past two-and-a-half decades.

Photo © Patrick Gage

Senate’s Turn Part I: Senate Committee Takes On the Transportation Reauthorization Bill

Posted 05/21/14 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Federal, State and Federal Programs, Threats to Trail Building

Last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed a bill (S. 2322) to reauthorize MAP-21, the federal transportation legislation passed in 2012, which will expire at the end of September. The new bill seeks to fund transportation projects at status quo levels plus inflation through fiscal year 2020. The underlying premise of the bill is that transportation policies should not change substantially but should only be marginally refined, that long-term funding is critical for large infrastructure projects and that the current funding levels are acceptable.

Photo CC Adam Fagen via Flickr

Obama Bill Offers Way Forward on Active Transportation

Posted 05/02/14 by Patrick Wojahn in Policy | Tagged with Federal, State and Federal Programs

This week, the White House and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx put forward the GROW AMERICA Act, a bill which would increase funding for transportation infrastructure in the United States. GROW AMERICA includes provisions that could support the development of active transportation networks; that is, infrastructure for human-powered modes of transportation such as walking and biking.

Photo © Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

A Bike Ride with Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis

Posted 01/30/14 by Barry Bergman in Building Trails | Tagged with Champions, State and Federal Programs, Texas

Last month, I had the pleasure of joining trail advocate and Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis for a Saturday bike ride along San Francisco’s historic Embarcadero port area. As we road along the waterfront, Sen. Ellis and I shared ideas as well as success stories from our respective regions in hopes that we might help each other to spur innovations in active transportation, health and community revitalization.