Executive Summary The Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TASA) is the largest dedicated source of funding for trails, walking and bicycling in the United States. Since 1991, this program, formerly known as Transportation Enhancements (TE), has transformed the landscape of the country. While projects in several categories (including eligibilities such as historic preservation and highway beautification) are […]

This FHWA document provides resources formal technical assistance that can support disadvantaged communities, biking, multiuse paths, and active transportation. The document lists both government and non-government sources of technical assistance, including Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Author: Federal Highway Administration

At-grade trail crossings have frequently been the sites of bicycle, pedestrian, and snowmobile crashes in Minnesota and throughout the nation. To date, many resources exist for use in the design of trails and intersections, such as the MnDOT Bikeway Facility Design Manual, while guidelines of traffic control at roadway-trail crossings are covered in the MN […]

A region brimming with great trails makes for an appealing outdoor destination. That is why the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition (IHTC) is working to complete and connect a system of shared use trails across 51 counties in western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, and southwest New York. IHTC’s vision is that this “Industrial Heartland” […]

Since the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, trail and active transportation advocates have celebrated the opportunity this unprecedented funding creates for trails, walking and biking. All types of places, from small towns to cities and entire regions, are tapping funding in new ways to accelerate local and regional trail priorities. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) sees […]

Executive Order 14008, signed by President Biden at the start of his Administration, created the Justice40 Initiative to establish the goal that 40 percent of overall benefits of certain Federal investments should flow to disadvantaged communities that are overburdened by climate change, pollution, and environmental hazards. This whole-of-government initiative includes efforts by DOT to ensure transportation investments support […]

When we think about what it takes to develop a successful trail network, engagement is inherently part of the equation. But figuring out how to engage the many different people—local residents, elected officials, the business community and more—can be overwhelming. One way to approach this is by thinking about the many moments that take place […]

Join Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) and experienced transportation professionals to learn more about the important role active transportation plays in reducing carbon emissions. During this webinar, RTC staff engaged in a discussion with Florida DOT Chief Planner, Huiwei Shen, and Denver Regional Council of Government (DRCOG) Project and Program Delivery Manager, Todd Cottrell, to find out […]

Join Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) and successful 2022 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) applicants to learn how to make your FY2023 application stand out to USDOT. At this webinar, we discussed 2023 applications, which are due July 10th, as well as future SS4A funding cycles and other safety-focused programs such as the Highway Safety Improvement Program […]

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY To this end, RTC embarked on a 12-month assessment of route options using its GIS database of more than 34,000 miles of existing, multiuse trails nationwide, and analyzing more than 300 state and local trail plans to identify planned future trails. RTC also met and worked with more than 200 local trail partners […]