What We’ve Been Up To
n
RTC held its first Rail-Trail Sojourn
in West Virginia, April 24–26, 2015.
Centered in Morgantown, this three-day,
122-mile ride featured the Mon River,
Deckers Creek, Cheat Lake, Marion
County and Sheepskin rail-trails.
Unlike RTC’s longer sojourns in
Pennsylvania, this mini sojourn was
designed with an “out-and-back” format,
in which riders pedaled 20 miles in a
new direction each day, enjoyed lunch in
a scenic area or small town and returned
to a base hotel in Morgantown. The ride
highlighted for local decision-makers
the need for and benefits of completing
the 30-mile Sheepskin Rail-Trail, which
would unite the West Virginia trail net-
work with the Great Allegheny Passage
in Pennsylvania and result in more
than 500 miles of continuous rail-trails.
Contact: Tom Sexton,
.
n
In May, RTC’s Midwest Director of
Trail Development, Eric Oberg, was a
featured speaker at the
2015 Miami
Valley Bike Summit in Piqua, Ohio
.
In a presentation to more than 400
participants, Oberg shared information
and results from the recently released
Central Ohio Impact of Trails study,
which RTC helped to develop
. Using
a new data research approach that emu-
lates the transportation industry’s traffic
engineer vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
metric, it was found that Central Ohio
trail users traveled 13 million miles on
the regional trail network in 2014.
RTC was pleased to have Oberg
join a prominent group of speakers,
which included Pittsburgh Mayor Bill
Peduto, Andy Clark of the League of
American Bicyclists, Andy Williamson
of the International Mountain Biking
Association and Amy Camp of Cycling
Forward. Oberg’s featured presence
underscores RTC’s continued leadership
of the trails/bike/ped movement in the
Midwest. Contact: Eric Oberg,
.
n
Also in May, RTC staff participated in
the 2015 biannual International Trails
Symposium, hosted by American Trails
in Portland, Ore.
, where more than 750
trail professionals and advocates from
around the world convened to share and
learn about “Solutions for Success” in trail
planning and development. RTC orga-
nized sessions and workshops on a variety
of timely topics, including regional trail
networks, trail counts and surveys, eco-
nomic development, rails-with-trails, trails
in agricultural areas and the role of federal
investment in trail development. For more
information, go to
americantrails.org
.
n
RTC’s national office staff completed
a rail-with-trail feasibility study for a
potential 2.5-mile corridor in northeast
Washington, D.C.
The trail would con-
nect several neighborhoods and provide a
safe and seamless bicycle and pedestrian
connection from downtown to the U.S.
National Arboretum, while utilizing a for-
mer railroad tunnel and an active railroad
right-of-way. The study was delivered to
the D.C. Department of Transportation
in June. Contact: Kelly Pack,
n
In May, RTC launched a new grant
program to support organizations and
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
RTC Launches Share the Trail Campaign
Good news … trail use in the United States is booming! More and
more Americans are recognizing the incredible value of trail net-
works nationwide—for transportation, recreation, connecting to
nature and connecting with each other.
As trails flourish in popularity, RTC has recognized a growing need
for centralized messaging to educate trail users of all types—including pedestrians,
bicyclists, hikers, horseback riders, inline skaters, runners and more—on how to
share the trail with each other and ensure a safe, enjoyable experience for all.
In the summer of 2015, RTC launched a nationwide “Share the Trail” campaign
to educate people of all ages and abilities on trail etiquette and safety. Focusing
on six themes of good trail use practices, RTC will lead the discussion on responsi-
ble trail use, reminding users that trails should be safe and fun venues for everyone.
Contact: Katie Harris,
For more information, go to
railstotrails.org/sharethetrail
.
local governments that are implement-
ing projects to build and improve rail-
trails.
Under the Doppelt Family Trail
Development Fund, RTC will award
up to $85,000 per year for the next five
years to qualifying projects through
a competitive process.
The fund was
established with an $80,000 grant from
Jeff Doppelt of Great Neck, New York, a
long-time supporter of RTC and devel-
opment of rail-trails in the United States,
and a $20,000 donation.
This year’s grant awards include:
$40,000 to the Allegheny Trail Alliance
for renovation of the Pinkerton Tunnel
on the Great Allegheny Passage in
Pennsylvania; $7,500 to Missouri Rock
Island Trail, Inc. to support trail develop-
ment on a 145-mile segment of the inac-
tive Rock Island Line in Missouri (an
additional $7,500 will be used for trail
consulting services); and $10,000 to the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
to engage communities along 126 miles
of undeveloped corridor to complete the
Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail in
Northwest Nebraska, and create strate-
gies for economic development.
Applications for 2016 funding will
be accepted in December 2015. More
information will be posted on
rails
totrails.org
as it becomes available.
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rail-trail report
