Walkability and Bikeability Page 8

1,450-Mile Developing Trail Network to Revitalize America’s Industrial Heartland

Posted 03/29/16 by Jake Lynch in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Celebrating 30 Years, Connected Systems, IHTC, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Destinations, Walkability and Bikeability, West Virginia

Fort Duquesne Bridge and Walkway along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (the hub for the developing 1,450-mile Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition vision). | Photo courtesy Wally Gobetz | CC by 2.0

The Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition envisions a 1,450-mile system of off-road trails that will connect many of the major centers of America’s Rust Belt and industrial Appalachia. The trail network will span 48 counties across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and New York. Here's more about this ambitious project.

Full Story
Photo courtesy Green Lane Project

Safer Streets Ahead for Bikers and Walkers with New Federal Safety Rule

Posted 03/21/16 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in Policy | Tagged with Federal, State and Federal Programs, Transportation and Health, Walkability and Bikeability

Last Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a new and improved set of requirements designed to increase transportation safety—including safety for people who walk or bike.

Artist Lorraine Vullo's labyrinth memorial at the Historic Homestead Pump House in Pennsylvania | Photo courtesy Kordite | CC by 2.0

10 Amazing Things on the 2016 Pennsylvania Sojourn

Posted 03/16/16 by Maureen Hannan in Building Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Biking, Encouraging Trail Use, Pennsylvania, Sojourn Series, Trail Destinations, Walkability and Bikeability

RTC’s 2016 Pennsylvania Rail-Trail Sojourn will be a breathtaking 110-mile bike trip westward along the historic Great Allegheny Passage. Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with a three-day bike ride through scenic woods and rushing waterfalls, lofty trestles and surreal tunnels, wide rivers and old coal towns! It's going to be amazing.

Napa Valley Vine Trail | Photo courtesy Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition

The Verdict Is In: California Approves $133 Million for Trails

Posted 02/26/16 by Laura Cohen in Building Trails, Policy | Tagged with BATC, California, Funding, State and Federal Programs, Walkability and Bikeability

It was another great year for trails in California’s Active Transportation Program (ATP), the largest funding source for biking, walking and trails in the state. RTC recently learned that the California Transportation Commission has approved $133 million for 59 trail projects and separated bikeways in Cycle 2 of ATP.

Screenshot from Nick Falbo’s Protected Intersections explanation video, published February 2014

Safer Streets for All: Protected Intersections Arrive in the US

Posted 02/25/16 by Momentum Mag in Policy, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Bike Commuting, Transportation and Health, Urban Pathways, Walkability and Bikeability

“Sometimes, change builds up for years. And sometimes, it bursts.” These are the words of Michael Andersen in a recent Green Lane Project article about the sudden and almost unexpected arrival of the protected intersection in American cities. In “Four US Cities Are Racing to Open the Country’s First Protected Intersection,” Andersen details the concept’s journey from relative obscurity in North America to an enthusiastic reception in Austin, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Boston, Massachusetts; and Davis, California.

Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk, the Circuit Trails, Philadelphia | Photo courtesy Montgomery County Planning Commission

10 Reasons the Circuit Trails Are Remarkable

Posted 02/11/16 by Katie Harris in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Celebrating 30 Years, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, Disparities and Underserved Communities, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Walkability and Bikeability

The Philadelphia region is home to one of the country’s largest trail networks, a visionary model that, when complete, will incorporate 750 miles of connected trails leading through urban landscapes and rural countryside. The system is called the Circuit Trails, and the network will be accessible to all residents and visitors, regardless of age, income or experience level.

On the Met Branch Trail in Washington, D.C. | Photo courtesy RTC

30 Reasons to Love Trails—Happy Anniversary, RTC!

Posted 02/01/16 by Katie Harris in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Celebrating 30 Years, Health and Active Living, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Feb. 1 marks RTC’s 30th anniversary—and in honor of the occasion, we compiled these 30 great reasons to use and love trails. RTC will be celebrating our anniversary all year long! Check our special 30th anniversary page often for great new stories and content.

The Schuylkill River Trail, part of the Circuit Trails, a 750-Mile active-transportation network in the Greater Philadelphia Region | Photo courtesy Montgomery County Planning Commission | CC by 2.0

The Power of Trail Networks in Shaping the Future

Posted 01/12/16 by Elizabeth Striano in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Celebrating 30 Years, Connected Systems, Tourism and Economic Development, Urban Pathways, Walkability and Bikeability

As we enter our 30th year, RTC’s vision of a nationwide network of trails and pathways continues to grow clearer with each new mile of trail opened. Increasingly, the focus of our movement has changed from single trails to interconnected trail networks, spanning cities and entire regions of the country.

Capital Crescent Trail | Photo by Barbara Richey

Potential New Funding for Trails in 2016 Budget Bill

Posted 12/23/15 by Leeann Sinpatanasakul in Policy | Tagged with District Of Columbia, Federal, Funding, State and Federal Programs, Walkability and Bikeability

Last Friday, President Obama signed the omnibus budget bill into law, which lays out funding for the remainder of the 2016 fiscal year. The bill funds two programs that offer potential resources for trails: the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

Photo courtesy Alex Blackstock | CC by 2.0

Bike-Friendly Colleges Are on the Rise

Posted 12/18/15 by Momentum Mag in Success Stories, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Bike Commuting, Biking, Schools and Young People, Walkability and Bikeability

Many are familiar with the League of American Bicyclists’ List of Bike Friendly Businesses. Another category the League ranks is Bicycle Friendly Universities (BFUs). This list has only been active for four years, but the last round of designations graduated to a new level with a record-breaking number of top-performing colleges.