WEBINAR:

Connecting Communities: Integrating Transportation and Recreation Networks

September 21, 2017

Learning Outcome Questions

How do trails connect communities?

Trails can connect communities by adding connections between neighborhoods, using shared use as nonmotorized transportation through routes, providing bridges over rivers, highways, or other barriers, and providing nonmotorized transportation routes along highways and railroads.

How can we improve access for all to outdoor recreational activities?

We can plan, design, and develop trails to provide access for all by using trails to connect facilities, building trails of different skill levels, and building trail facilities that can be accessed by all (in regards to location). Trails can provide the last length from transit systems to outdoor recreation areas. Trails can provide safe transportation and access to outdoor recreation for children and people who cannot drive. Trail amenities, such as skill areas, can also provide a way for individuals to develop experience.

How can we work together to ensure that recreational trails don’t lose their recreational beauty?

Very carefully. We want to ensure that our trails retain context sensitivity. A 20-foot wide trail with separate sections for walking and bicycling might make sense in an urban, suburban,or industrial area. But don’t blast through a 20-foot wide trail through a dense forest or a sensitive desert or wetland. Pay attention to the setting and to the users. Do you want an equestrian-friendly trail? Do you want to accommodate OHVs within the right-of-way, or snowmobiles in winter? Are you looking for a narrow technical trail with twists and turns for mountain bikes or dirt bikes? Do you want to ensure direct and efficient routes for transportation trips? Make sure you include stakeholders with various interests.

What happens when electric vehicles become a substantial part of the bicycle or OHV population?

This is a great unknown. Modern electric bicycles are nearly indistinguishable from regular bicycles, and urban bike share systems are beginning to include electric bikes. They may make bicycling a desirable form of transportation. Electric bicycles may reduce sound levels on OHV trails. But we have conflicting laws and regulations when it comes to electric bicycles on unpaved trails on public lands and when using Federal-aid highway program funds.Some electric bicycles have the same impact as regular bicycles, but some may have impacts similar to OHVs, other than the sound. This topic needs research and discussion.

Who do I contact to get trails included in my local transportation plan?

Start with your local planning office, whether village, town, township, city, county, etc. For those of you in metropolitan areas (urbanized areas of population 50,000 or more), your trails need to be listed in the metropolitan transportation planand Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)to be considered for transportation funds. For everybody, you want at least the concept of trails to be included in Statewide Long-Range Transportation Plans if you will ever want Federal surface transportation funds and projects must be listed in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). For more information, see:

  • Metropolitan Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning Handbook provides MPOs with information and examples as they consider pedestrian and bicycle transportation in their regional planning activities.
  • Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning Handbook helps State DOTs develop or update State pedestrian and bicycle plans.

Are States allowed to have their own planning and design manuals?

It depends, but in general, yes. The primary exceptions are:

  • Federal Land Management Agencies must use their own standards for projects on their lands.
  • The USDA Forest Service Standard Trail Plans and Specifications are a best practice for most recreational trails, with concepts that are transferable to other trails.
  • Accessibility guidelines:
  • The Access Board’s Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines for Outdoor Developed Areas are standards for recreational trails on Federal lands and other outdoor areas developed by the Federal government. FHWA recommends using these guidelines for all recreational trail projects, see ,.
  • Shared use paths (trails for transportation purposes) should use the Access Board’s Shared Use Paths guidelines at .
  • Projects within highway rights-of-way should use the Access Board’s Public Rights-of-Way Guidelines at .

In general, trails for transportation purposes will need additional width and may need to accommodate large maintenance or emergency vehicles. States can determine which planning and design manuals these want to use. See the Resources list.

How can I get my community to have a trail assessment?

One place to start is to suggest the idea to your local trail manager. If there are multiple trail managers, the suggestion could be given to the Recreational Trail Program’s Advisory Committee in your State. See resources at:

  • Recreational Trails Program eligibility for assessments:
  • Note that any project eligible under the RTP also is eligible under Transportation Alternatives.
  • Road Safety Audits: . There are many resources here including training and contacts. Although intended for roads, the concepts are readily transferable to trails.
  • Pedestrian Safety Audit:
  • Bicycle Safety Audit:

Meredith asks:

1. Are there any tips to keep planning, compliance and costs down when working with local government? I find that they tend to hire consultants and treat rural projects, projects that are already partially paved or disturbed (e.g. old agricultural roads or rail alignments) and look at the planning and compliance needs as they would a freeway and the costs quickly escalate to over 1.5 million a mile. And sometimes even more.

Look at PlanWorks, a decision support tool built from the experiences of transportation partners and stakeholders. PlanWorks can improve how you develop, prioritize, and inform transportation plans and projects; see . There is a specific application for bicycles and pedestrians. Also look at Planning and Environment Linkages and Integrating NEPA and Permitting.

2. When looking at alternative transportation versus recreation for funding purposes, do you have recommendations on what category should be pursued? For example, most multi-use trails, greenways, or separated paths are used for both commuting and recreation. Are there best practices or strategies to address both needs?

See the FHWA funding opportunities table at .

  • If the trail is primarily recreational, the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is the best source.
  • If a trail connects communities and neighborhoods, try Transportation Alternatives (TA) funds.
  • Any project eligible under the RTP or TA is eligible under the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program, but State DOTs and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) generally require that the facility demonstrate a transportation purpose.
  • If the trail provides access to transit and is likely to replace motor vehicle trips with pedestrian and bicycle trips, go for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) funds.
  • If the trail is along or crosses a National Highway System route, consider integrating the project with an NHS highway construction project using National Highway Performance Program funds.
  • For projects that provide access to or within Federal Lands, use Federal Lands Highway Programs.

3. When local communities want separated bikeways or multi-use paths in a rural area that is dominated by State highways (rural settings, 2-lane roads) and the State DOT refuses to consider, are there recommendations on how to move forward? Should private land agreements be pursued? (this example may be somewhat unique to the islands, where you have only one road option that circles an island. Could also be on rural highways where there are no other connector roads I suppose)

  • Can the local government entities work with the State DOT to reconsider? If the State DOT simply won’t reconsider, sure, try working with private landowners. One of the early trails that integrated transportation and recreation was the Stowe Bicycle Path, Stowe VT, which used private property rather than the State highway right-of-way.

4. This is great information, and you may be preaching to the choir here. The biggest issue is how to convince your local and State DOT/DPW to actually do this. Are there any tips in how to convince decision makers to consider?

  • Present facts, and don’t fluff up the facts. Some local FHWA employees have heard local officials ask to be educated on the importance of specific topics, such as connection with trails, especially if they do not have a lot of knowledge on the area. It is helpful for them to understand why the topic should be a priority and how it relates to other local priorities. Look at the resources that we provided in this webinar, as well as other local evaluations of trail systems, and feel free to copy and use them. Demonstrate how communities and States can save lives and improve the quality of life by replacing motor vehicle trips with walking and bicycling trips. If we reduce local trips, we free up capacity for long-distance trips. If we can seamlessly integrate transportation and recreation networks, we benefit both transportation and recreation simultaneously at a reduced cost.

Mike says: City of Little Rock here.Thanks for the Big Dam Bridge love!

  • I enjoyed seeing it and other Little Rock area trails and bridges at the International Trails Symposium in November 2008. Bridges are essential links in any transportation or trail system. Arkansas leaders saw how bridges are necessary for complete networks. Another point is that the leaders allowed the system to develop: they didn’t demand all or nothing. When we demand all or nothing, we get nothing; be patient and allow your network to develop in pieces if that’s what it takes.
  • While on the subject of the International Trails Symposium, Syracuse, New York will host the 24th American Trails International Trails Symposium on April 28 - May 1, 2019.

Peggy asks: Christopher, Is there a Federal law that prohibits ATV/dirt bikes to be on same trail as bike/ped - motorized and nonmotorized shared use?Just get along, cooperate?WV doesn't allow it, as far as I know.

It depends on the original intent for the trail, the environmental documentation, and the funding source.

  • If the trail does not use any Federal-aid highway funds, then FHWA restrictions don’t apply.
  • Trails on land owned or managed by Federal Land Management agencies must follow theirown rules, which may or may not have prohibitions based on the intended trail use.
  • If the trail is planned and designed as a multiple-use trail for both motorized and nonmotorized use, and if the environmental documentation supports multiple use, then there is no prohibition.
  • 23 U.S.C. 217(h): For trails using Federal-aid highway program funds, if a trail is built as a pedestrian or bicycle facility for nonmotorized use, then Federal law prohibits ATVs and dirt bikes. In general, any trail that used Transportation Enhancement funds from 1992 through 2012 must prohibit motorized use. For any project using Federal-aid highway program funds, if the project’s environmental documentation only anticipated nonmotorized use, then the project must prohibit motorized use. For exceptions, see the Framework for Considering Motorized Use on Nonmotorized Trails and Pedestrian Walkways.
  • 23 U.S.C. 206(g): The Recreational Trails Program has restrictions on motorized use:

(g)A State may not obligate funds apportioned to carry out this section for—

(2, 3, summarized): Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land unless consistent with agency plans,

(4) upgrading, expanding, or otherwise facilitating motorized use or access to recreational trails predominantly used by nonmotorized recreational trail users and on which, as of May 1, 1991, motorized use was prohibited or had not occurred.

Robert asks: Have you used Greenroads.org to help promote and/or encourage better facilities for nonmotorized users?

No, I don’t have personal knowledge or experience with this. You are welcome to consider or use any programs or processes that you find useful.

Robert also asks: Has CPTED been used within the design process to help with keeping the trails safer and useable for all?

CPTED is Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. I don’t have personal experience with this, although I have heard of the concept. You are welcome to consider or use any programs or processes that you find useful. Based on a quick search, several national nonprofit organizations support the concept.

Mike asks: How can we encourage ARDOT to maintain the road past the rumble strip?In Arkansas, we often see accumulated debris after the rumble strip.

Contact your State bicycle and pedestrian coordinator and askabout the best way to work with your State officials. See . Please do your homework first: see the Proven Safety Countermeasures at , and see the Rumble Strip Implementation Guide, which has information about longitudinal center line, edge line, and shoulder rumble strips and stripes, including information on maintenance.

Jennifer asks: Since data is so important, is there a funding resource for collecting bike/ped data?

Yes. If the data will be useful for transportation planning purposes, then Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) may use Metropolitan Planning funds. State agencies may use Statewide Planning and Research funds. There may be some eligibility for Surface Transportation Block Grant Program funds. Contact your State bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for more ideas, see . For more information on data, see Incorporating Qualitative Data in the Planning Process: Improving Project Delivery and Outcomes (March 2017). This report highlights emerging tools, techniques, and resources for gathering qualitative public and stakeholder input to inform the planning process, improve project outcomes, and contribute to streamlining project delivery.

Ursula asks: What do we know about what cities have done to integrate 911 and maintenance reporting (i.e. integrating city services in transportation facilities) onto urban trails? Best practices?

Ursula says: mostly address systems are the same for maintenance and 911

Ursula says: so same underlying problem

I don’t have specific information on this topic. In general, 911 is to report life-threatening emergencies, and the 911 systems should not be burdened with calls for routine maintenance. Some locations may have reporting programs: I recall hearing about reporting systems in Maine and in Seattle back in the 1990s. If a community can combine the address systems, it sounds like a good idea to me.

Caitlin (EL) asks: Are there projects or initiatives that focus on connecting urban areas to outdoor areas? Particularly interested in using bike, pedestrian, or public transportation infrastructure to access outdoor areas.

  • FHWA published the Guide to Promoting Bicycling on Federal Lands in September 2008.
  • The Federal Transit Administration published (September 22, day after the webinar) the Manual on Pedestrian and Bicycle Connections to Transitthat suggests improvements for pedestrian and bicyclist access to transit.
  • The National Park Service will soon release an Active Transportation Guidebook which will cover access to national parks and other public lands from urban, suburban, and rural areas, and from gateway communities near major outdoor recreation areas.
  • Several nonprofit organizations have resources that have transferable concepts, such as:
  • American Trails:
  • 8-80 Cities:
  • National Association of City Transportation Officials:
  • Project for Public Spaces:
  • Rails-to-Trails Conservancy:
  • Smart State Transportation Initiative:
  • Many others, this is not an exclusive list.
  • There are also many private for-profit consulting firms with relevant expertise, including those on the American Trails Business Directory at

Caitlin also says:

Hi Candace,

That was my first American Trails webinar and I really enjoyed the presentation! Some recent updates about me, I have been offered an entry level pedestrian planning position at NYCDOT, so I was excited to think how the information I learned at this webinar could be useful for my new job.Thank you for organizing this and making the webinar free for emerging leaders!

If you’re in New York City, perhaps meet with NACTO and PPS, listed above.

Jennifer says: Research idea:Best practices for managing transition areas between different types of trails/shared use paths as you connect them together.

Excellent idea. Thank you.

Lew asks: Does FHWA plan to work with the USFWS's National Conservation Training Center for trail management training?Lew says: I do know and work with Nathan.