October 2010

Spikes Awarded to Deep River Rail-Trail (DRRT) Prime Movers

Submitted by curt on October 22, 2010

Perry Conner and Dilys Bowman received the "working spike" award for their DRRT accomplishments. The spikes were found 2009 in Franklinville on Harvey Harman's section of the Atlantic and Yadkin Ramseur Branch when it was motor graded for placing the crushed stone and fines on the old railbed for the trail. Perry credits NCRT with having saved the town's Recreational Trails Program grant and with Harvey's help got the rail-trail on the ground and as the RPO's top non motorized request for DOT funding. Dilys has been active on workdays, prepared numerous maps and information displays on the DRRT, and played an active role within the DRRT oversight group. In a separate ceremony in Pittsboro on November 21st, Mr. Harman received a golden spike award .

Third Annual Carolina Thread Trail Forum: "Going the Extra Mile"

Submitted by curt on October 18, 2010

Carolina Thread will be holding the 3rd Annual Carolina Thread Trail Forum on December 2, 2010. The Forum is geared for trail practitioners and community leaders interested in advancing The Thread throughout the fifteen-county Thread region. Topics to be covered include: Greenway Construction in the "New Normal",  Brownfields to Greenways,  Natural Surface Trails,  You Have a Plan. Now let's build it!,  Carolina Thread Trail Grant Tips,  Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail,  Bridges and Boardwalks 101,  Leave No Child Indoors: Making Trails Interesting for Kids,  Virginia Creeper Trail,  Designing Safe Trails,  Roanoke River Paddle: Trail's Local Economic Impact.

Check these links for more on the Carolina Thread Trail or to register for the Thread Forum

Carol Thomson and AL Capehart Receive Awards at Recent NCRT Board Meeting

Submitted by curt on October 15, 2010

At it's recent Annual meeting, North Carolina Rail-Trails was pleased to present a Golden Spike award to Carol Thomson for her long-term efforts in preparing and distributing a multimedia documentary video entitled "Bridging Rails to Trails, Stories of the American Tobacco Trail". The documentary explores the 100 year evolution of the American Tobacco Trail from a railroad crucial in tobacco manufacturing to a unique linear park. The final segments were completed in early 2010 and the complete documentary was formally released at the Durham Arts Council in March 2010. After completion of the proposed I-40 bridge and southern Durham section of the ATT, an additional video segment will be developed. CDs of the documentary have been provided to local school systems. You can view the current version at the bridgingrailstotrails site.

The Carolyn R. Townsend Volunteer Award to AL Capehart recognized over 27 years of service in advocating for rail-trails, facilitating the planning for several rail-trails around the State, providing advice and guidance to trails groups, and serving as the volunteer President and Executive Officer of NCRT since 1990. AL will move from his long standing role as a voting Board member to ex-officio President on January 1st 2011. Board Chair John Morck presented the Award to AL.

Deep River Rail Trail Receives Clean Water Grant for Conservation Easement

Submitted by curt on October 13, 2010

Franklinville’s greenway will soon be a little greener thanks to a $101,000 grant to purchase a conservation easement on 38 acres of land, mostly between the three-quarter-mile-long trail and the Deep River. The project was one of five in the eastern Piedmont that will receive funding through the state Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF). In August, town board members approved a resolution to support submission of an application by Randolph County for a U.S. Department of Transportation planning grant to study extending a 3/4-mile long section of the Deep River Rail-Trail west to the Guilford County line. The planning grant would provide planning, outreach and design for a 17-mile section of trail — along the abandoned railbed of the Atlantic & Yadkin Railroad — through the Cedar Falls community to Providence Grove High School and the county line. For more on the Deep River Rail Trail see the October 12th Courier Tribune article.

NCRT Votes to Support Proposed Active Community Transportation Act (ACTA)

Submitted by curt on October 10, 2010

At their recent Annual Meeting on October 9th, NCRT's Board of Directors voted to reach out to North Carolina's representatives in Congress to sign on as co-sponsors of H.R. 4722, the Active Community Transportation Act (“ACT Act”) of 2010. This is a marker bill to be incorporated into the federal transportation reauthorization when passed by Congress and will provide communities with concentrated investments to complete walking and bicycling networks to shift short driving trips to active transportation. By providing communities with the resources needed to build safe and connected non-motorized routes between the places where people live, work, learn, play and shop, the bill will provide cost-effective transportation choices for millions of Americans. The act authorizes a competitive grant program at the U.S. DOT averaging $400 million/year for projects which would shift trips to bicycling and walking. The ACT act enjoys broad support and attracted 60 House signatures (including representatives Kissel, Price and Miller from NC) in the first four months since it's introduction in March 2010. For more on the expected impact and benefits of the ACT Act please see an informative flyer prepared by RTC. Also useful is a Fact Sheet on how the grant program would work.