The Great American Rail-Trail is an ambitious project of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. The organization is converting former rails into wide off-road trails. Read more about their vision to connect the USA.
The Great American Rail-Trail is an ambitious project of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. The organization is converting former rails into wide off-road trails. Read more about their vision to connect the USA.
The planned Great American Rail-Trail is intended to offer a “completely new American experience”. It would run through 12 states and the District of Columbia, reaching around 50 million people who live within 50 miles of the route. Along the 3,700-mile multi-use path between Washington state and Washington, D.C., economic and community opportunities would thus also be created.
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is the largest trail organization in the United States. Its goal is to create free, accessible and safe places where everyone can walk, bike and be active. The organization believes that rail-trails “have the power to transform communities and create joyful, vibrant public spaces that are equitable and inclusive.”
The Great American Rail-Trail would be a safe, seamless and scenic path that runs across the USA. It would invite hikers and cyclists to discover America’s heritage by rail. David Burwell, co-founder of the organization, said: “One day you could cross the whole country: on flat, wide trails off the road. I want rail-trails to become the main street of America.”
The possibility of a rail-trail crossing the country has been known since the mid-1980s. The work of RTC and others there has already resulted in many new rail trails. An analysis of RTC’s database shows that the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail is more than 50 percent complete.
The Great American Rail-Trail will connect cities along its route and create an environment for hikers and cyclists, but also for flora and fauna. Existing trails, such as the 219-mile Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail in Nebraska, which is already one of the longest in the USA, would be part of the project. Once completed, the Great American Rail-Trail will provide a beautiful journey from the mountains across the plains to the Pacific Ocean.
The reuse of old rail lines is also currently revitalizing lost areas. RTC hopes that this will also bring new life to dozens of communities located near the preferred route. There are many unused rail lines, especially in the Midwest. The region has seen a decline in recent decades due to falling demand in the manufacturing industry. These rail lines offer the opportunity to rebuild and reconnect them.
Already, existing rail lines in the U.S. and elsewhere are seeing increased demand for campgrounds, bike repair services, restaurants and breweries. Activities and venues along the line are also popular. This illustrates some of the social and economic opportunities of this revitalization project.
RTC estimates that the Great American Rail-Trail could generate approximately $230 million in annual visitor spending and create 25,000 new jobs over a 10-year period. The proposed trail will consist of 145 rail trails, greenways and other multi-use paths. It could take another 20 years to connect the entire route.
The proposed route of the Great American Rail-Trail will pass through 12 states and Washington, D.C., beginning (or ending) at the National Mall in downtown Washington. On its way east, it will cross the Appalachian Mountains, the Mississippi River, the Continental Divide and Puget Sound in Seattle before reaching the Pacific Ocean at La Push in Washington.
National Geographic uses the example of Muncie, Indiana, a city of 65,000 people, to demonstrate the potential impact of the Great American Rail-Trail. The city already has a paved multi-use trail called the Cardinal Greenways. This 62-mile route along the Great American runs through the city. Connecting the entire trail could bring major growth to local bike stores, tourism organizations and city landmarks, as well as cafes, breweries and restaurants. At the same time, locals hope to open their neighbors’ eyes to the area’s many natural beauties.
Travelers can already use one of the many existing rail trails in the US that are mapped by the RTC. But there are also more than 80 gaps for the planned Great American Rail-Trail. In Wyoming and Montana in particular, large sections of the route have not yet been mapped. Challenges such as geographical conditions, old bridges or a lack of funding can hold up progress.
However, since the announcement of the Great American Vision in 2019, the RTC has received a lot of support. According to the organization, more than $75 million in public and private funding has been committed to building the trail. Currently, more than 100 miles are under development.
Rail trails are a popular concept for revitalizing former rail lines. They are usually created when a rail line has been abandoned and the tracks removed. Sometimes they share the right of way with active railroads, light railroads or streetcars, or with disused tracks. In most cases, rail trails are designed for non-motorized traffic. They are very popular because of their gentle gradients, structures such as bridges and tunnels and the fact that they cross historic areas. Many rail trails are long, while the shorter ones are called linear parks or greenways.
Read more: The Westbahnpark in Vienna is to occupy a former track bed.
