Transportation and Health

Charlotte Rail Trail | Photo by Eric Casella

North Carolina’s Charlotte Rail Trail

Posted 01/19/23 by Lindsay Martell in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Art, Best Of, North Carolina, Rail-with-Trail, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Transportation and Health

The bustling Charlotte Rail Trail is a 12-foot-wide swath of urban utopia in North Carolina’s largest city. Bikers stream by in packs, toddlers sprint away from their stroller-pushing parents, curious puppies on leashes pull their owners to every corner of the path; these are just a few of the sights that pop up along the way.

Foto cortesía de Bicycle House Tallahassee

Cómo volver a montar en bicicleta después de años (8 consejos simples)

Posted 03/24/22 by Amy Kapp in Trail Use | Tagged with Biking, How-to, Spanish, Trail Use Tips, Transportation and Health

Tengo treinta y largos, y recientemente comencé a andar en bicicleta nuevamente después de un largo tiempo. La última y única bicicleta que tuve fue una azul sencilla de tres velocidades que compré cuando tenía 15 años y, aunque me encantaba, la montaba en todos los destinos típicos de los adolescentes. Nunca fui un profesional. Lo hacía solo por diversión. Una licencia de conducir a los 17, y mi vida en general, convirtieron esa bicicleta en un recuerdo lejano. Y después de dos experiencias desagradables al volver a subirme a una, me dije: "no soy ciclista".

Analysis: Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Passes With New Opportunities for Trails, Walking and Biking

Posted 11/06/21 by Kevin Mills in Policy | Tagged with Federal, Recreational Trails Program, State and Federal Programs, TrailsTransform, Transportation Alternatives, Transportation and Health, Walkability and Bikeability

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (H.R.3684), which passed the Senate in August. The bill will next head to President Biden for his signature, which is guaranteed. Here's what this means for trails, walking and biking.

The Loop | Photo by Gerry Loew, Pima County Communications

Arizona’s Santa Cruz River Park Trail

Posted 04/12/21 by Cindy Barks in America's Trails | Tagged with Arizona, Best Of, Bike Commuting, Demand for Trails, Ecology and Environment, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Transportation and Health, Urban Pathways, Why Use Trails?

Starting in the centuries-old birthplace of Tucson in the south, the Santa Cruz River Park Trail follows the sandy and mostly dry riverbed, passing nearby murals and taquerias in neighborhoods like Midvale Park and Santa Cruz Southwest, lively shops and hotels of the downtown area, and busy parks and ballfields of the El Camino Del Cerro area in the northwest.

Bicyclists gathered outside of the Richmond BART Station on Nov. 16, 2019, to ride together to the opening of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike and pedestrian path | Photo courtesy Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

New Transbay Crossing: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Bike and Pedestrian Path Opens in California

Posted 11/18/19 by Ben Kaufman, Mary Elise Conzelmann in Building Trails | Tagged with BATC, Bike Commuting, Biking, California, Connected Systems, TrailNation, Transportation and Health, Walkability and Bikeability

On Nov. 16, 2019, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bicycle and pedestrian path—a new 6-mile trail that parallels I-580 in the San Francisco Bay Area, officially opened to the public in a special ribbon cutting ceremony. The opening of the new pathway—a fully protected east–west pedestrian and bicycle connection across the Bay—signifies an exciting time in California trail history, as people can now safely walk and bike between the North and East Bay for the first time.

The Underline in Miami, Florida | Photo by Lee Smith

USDOT Awards Over $120 Million to Benefit Trails and Active Transportation Around the Nation

Posted 11/13/19 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Policy, Building Trails | Tagged with Alabama, Federal, Funding, Miami LOOP, Missouri, State and Federal Programs, Transportation and Health, Walkability and Bikeability

On Nov. 12, 2019, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded substantial grants to support several trail and active transportation projects, as well as multimodal projects with trail and active transportation elements, around the country. These investments rose to the top in the highly competitive BUILD program (or Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Developments), which has taken the place of the popular TIGER grant program as USDOT’s means of funding important transportation projects that otherwise lack sufficient funding from other sources.

GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail in South Carolina | Photo by Ian Curcio

A Q&A With Ryan Chao: Connecting Communities from Coast to Coast

Posted 11/13/19 by Brandi Horton, Ryan Chao in America's Trails, Taking Action | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, Connected Systems, Great American Rail-Trail, IHTC, RTC in Action, Tourism and Economic Development, TrailsTransform, Transportation and Health, West Virginia

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is forging ahead with a new focus: to connect critical walking and bicycling infrastructure across the country, and demonstrate the powerful benefits trails and trail networks deliver communities, through projects such as RTC’s TrailNation™ initiative and the Great American Rail-Trail™. Recently, the Trailblog chatted with RTC President Ryan Chao on how the organization is making this work happen in collaboration with thousands of partners across the country.

Palatka-to-Lake Butler State Trail | Photo by Britte Lowther

Florida’s Palatka-to-Lake Butler State Trail

Posted 07/15/19 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Ecology and Environment, Florida, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail of the Month, Transportation and Health, Wild and Wonderful

Two hours north of Disney World, Palatka serves as something of a Magic Kingdom for outdoor recreation with a handful of scenic, long-distance trails converging in this riverside town. Earlier this year, this burgeoning trail hub—tucked along the St. Johns River in Florida’s northeast corner—was officially designated as a Trail Town in the state’s new program recognizing “vibrant destinations where people come together.”

Libby Rose on e-bike | Photo courtesy Wandering Rose Travels

E-Bikes Got This Baby Boomer Back on the Trail After Asthma

Posted 05/22/19 by Libby and Martin Rose in Trail Use, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Biking, ebike, Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, Healthy Aging, Mapping and Technology, Motorized Use, Trail Use Tips, Transportation and Health, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Riding an e-bike for the first time was exhilarating. I met my first electric bicycle in California wine country, home to hills that challenged my lungs. A one-day rental there led to a weeklong adventure in Hawaii, followed by my first of two e-bike purchases three years ago. Since then, I’ve logged more than 1,000 road and trail miles, and for me, it’s been a win-win. No more sitting on the side of the road waiting to be picked up because I could go no farther, and no fear of ending up in the hospital due to an asthma attack.

Tony Knowles Coastal Trail | Photo by Jody O. Photos, courtesy Visit Anchorage

Alaska’s Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

Posted 01/15/19 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Alaska, Best Of, Biking, Demand for Trails, Encouraging Trail Use, Heritage and Restoration, History Happened Here, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Transportation and Health, Walkability and Bikeability, Wild and Wonderful, Winter Uses

With views of the rugged Chugach Mountains and tidal inlets, Alaska’s Tony Knowles Coastal Trail offers a breathtaking experience unlike any other rail-trail in the country. Learn more in our Trail of the Month feature.

Baltimore, Maryland | Photo by Side A Photography

Eight Critical Wins for TrailNation in 2018

Posted 12/05/18 by Liz Thorstensen in America's Trails, Building Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, Best Of, Biking, California, Capital Trails Coalition, Caracara, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Encouraging Trail Use, Facts and FIgures, Florida, Funding, Health and Active Living, Health Organizations, IHTC, Local Organizing, Mapping and Technology, Maryland, Miami LOOP, New Jersey, Route of the Badger, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, Transportation and Health, Urban Pathways, Virginia, Walkability and Bikeability, West Virginia, Wisconsin

This past year, RTC worked with hundreds of partners across TrailNation to secure funding, provide technical expertise and generate public support for trail networks that are proving vital to the people and places they serve. Here is a spotlight on some of the critical project advances we made in 2018—and how they are bringing to life our vision of trails at the heart of healthy, thriving communities.