Trails for the Twenty First Century Planning Design & Management Manual for Multi Use Trails PDF Book Download *FREE

Communities across the country are working to convert unused railway and canal corridors into trails for pedestrians, cyclists, horseback riders, and others, serving the needs of both recreationists and commuters alike. These multi-use trails can play a key role in improving livability, as they offer an innovative means of addressing sprawl, revitalizing urban areas, and reusing degraded lands.

Trails for the Twenty-First Century is a step-by-step guide to all aspects of the planning, design, and management of multi-use trails. Originally published in 1993, this completely revised and updated edition offers a wealth of new information including.

• discussions of recent regulations and federal programs, including ADA and TEA-21
• recently revised design standards from AASHTO
• current research on topics ranging from trail surfacing to conflict resolution
• information about designing and building trails in brownfields and other
• environmentally troubled landscapes

Also included is a new introduction that describes the importance of rail-trails to the sustainable communities movement, and an expanded discussion of maintenance costs. Enhanced with a wealth of illustrations, Trails for the Twenty-First Century provides detailed guidance on topics such as: taking a physical inventory and assessment of a site; involving the public and meeting the needs of adjacent landowners; understanding and complying with existing legislation; designing, managing, and promoting a trail; and where to go for more information. It is the only comprehensive guidebook available for planners, landscape architects, local officials, and community activists interested in creating a multi-use trail.

“The information is given in a reassuring step-by-step manner that doesn’t assume the reader has trail experience.”

“Nothing escaped the authors’ attention, and with so much real-world information, Trails for the Twenty-first Century is easily the single most useful reference book for trail planners.”

Charles A. Flink is president of Greenways, Inc. in Cary, North Carolina and an adjunct professor at North Carolina State University.

Kristine Olka is a planner with Greenways, Inc.

Robert M. Searns, AICP, is with Urban Edges, a consulting firm specializing in trail and greenway design based in Littleton, Colorado.

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, based in Washington, D.C., is a national nonprofit membership organization that seeks to facilitate the conversion of abandoned rail corridors and connect open space into a nationwide network of public trails.

Contents

Acknowledgments and Sponsors

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter 1: Getting Started

Your Trail and the Community

Site Considerations: Inventory and Assessment

Case Studies

Chapter 2: Planning and Public Involvement

Comprehensive Trail Planning

Developing a Plan: In-House Staff or Outside

Contractor?

Public Involvement

Case Studies

Chapter 3: Designing Your Trail

Meeting the Needs of Different Users

Sub-grade, Sub-base, and Trail Surface

Designing Trails in Challenging Areas

Bridges and Railings for Multi-Use Trails

Tunnels

Road Crossings

Signs for Multi-Use Trails

Trail Support Facilities

Wildlife and Multi-Use Trails

Landscaping

Understanding the History of Your Trail

Making Your Trail Unique

Case Studies

Chapter 4: Building Your Trail

Creating an Implementation Plan

Strategies to Acquire Land

Compliance with Legislation and Permitting

Funding Sources for Trail Development

Successful Implementation: Public-Private

Partnerships

Construction

Case Study

Chapter 5: Managing and Maintaining Your

Trail

Who Should Manage Your Multi-Use Trail?

Trail Management for User Safety

Maintaining Good Relations with Adjacent

Landowners, Residents, and Businesses

Developing a Fee Structure

Joint Ventures within Your Multi-Use Trail

Corridor

Protect Your Trail in the Face of Change

Developing a Comprehensive Budget and

Management Plan

Case Study

Chapter 6: Maximizing Your Trail’s

Potential

Promoting and Marketing Your Trail

Working with the Media

Publications

Using a Web Site to Market Your Trail

Citizen Support

Keeping Your Trail a Dynamic Entity

Case Studies

12. Tourism Agencies Promoting Trails

13. Creating and Making the Most of a Friends of the Trails

Group

Glossary

Annotated Resource Directory

About the Authors

Index