Project Details Lead Authority: MetroplanTotal Project Cost: $33 millionFunding Pledged to Date: $6 million Federal: $0State: $0Local: $6 million Shovel-Ready: 2 years or lessType: Rural, Suburban, Urban Transformative Impact Job Creation: An estimated $26.6 million in construction expenditures supporting 320 direct jobs1 from construction and 130 indirect jobs (e.g., from materials manufacturing); $2 million in total tourism expenditures resulting in 27 induced jobs per year […]

In 1996, Fayette County received a planning grant from Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and selected Mackin Engineering to conduct a trail feasibility study. A major study goal was to define and assess the potential trail route. The 1999 Feasibility Study produced evidence that the Sheepskin Trail was a viable project. As […]

This legislation established the Jonesville Public Use Area for protection of wildlife and motorized and nonmotorized vehicle use and passed House Committee.

This matrix is intended to present a summary of state laws pertaining to the legal liability of trail managers as of the year 2018. Every effort has been made to provide accurate citations and summaries in this matrix. However, due to the fluid nature of legislation and the limits of a summary format, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy […]

The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association developed model trail easement agreement for the benefit of owners, charitable organizations, government and their respective legal counsels. These models are periodically updated to reflect user experiences and advances in the field. The most recent editions are posted at ConservationTools.org. A commentary accompanies each model and explains the reasoning behind each […]

For new trails and parks to best serve existing communities, it is important to plan them with support and input from the current surrounding community. The process of achieving community buy-in is not always clear, however. As planners seek to build new or improved public spaces, it is important to consider all the potential effects […]

The Delaware & Hudson (D&H) Rail-Trail is a multi-use stone trail located in rural northeast Pennsylvania that has significant snowmobile use. It generally follows the border of Susquehanna and Wayne counties and reaches to the New York state line from its southern terminus near the city of Carbondale.  From December 2015 through October 2017, Rails-to-Trails […]

The purpose of this document is to provide the required tools for trail planners, designers, and contractors to deploy a cohesive trail signage program throughout the City of San José’s Trails Network. This fully integrated program will give the users a visual understanding of trail rules and regulations, the tools to track distances traveled, the […]

Electric bicycles—or e-bikes—are becoming increasingly popular nationwide. These bikes look like traditional bicycles but are equipped with an electric motor that can be used to assist the rider. While there are a variety of e-bike types—ranging from pedal-assist, which simply give riders a boost, to bikes with throttles that allow users to choose to pedal […]

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people. All over America, hospitals and regional healthcare systems are beginning to tap into the enormous potential of trails to address local health problems. Trails are now […]