March-April 2004

NATIONAL NEWS

TEA-21 REAUTHORIZED, LOCAL GREENWAY AND

TRAIL PROGRAMS COULD BENEFIT

On April 2, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to
reauthorize TEA-21, the nation’s surface
transportation statute. H.R. 3550, “The Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users,” provides $275 billion
for transportation over the next six years. The bill
is now headed to a conference committee to resolve
differences with a version of the legislation
previously passed by the U.S. Senate.

This legislation has tremendous significance for
greenways and rail-trail projects nationwide.
Locally, the American Tobacco Trail project is slated
to receive $2 million. The City of Durham would get
$2 million for the purchase of two rail corridors for
future use as a bike/pedestrian trail, and the Town of
Cary would receive $1.5 million for the continued
development of greenways and bike paths. Highlights
of the bill include:

Transportation Enhancements: Funds for
community-based trail, bicycle and pedestrian
projects. Will receive approximately $3.7 billion in
the House bill.

Recreational Trails Program: Funds trails by using a
portion of the federal gas taxes attributable to
off-road recreation - $503 million.

Non-motorized Transportation Pilot Program: This $145
million program will assist several cities to complete
seamless transportation networks – connecting trails,
bicycle lanes, sidewalks, mass transit, etc. – which
will serve as national models demonstrating that
communities will routinely use alternative modes of
transportation if available.

Safe Routes to School: This critical new program,
aimed at making it safer for children to walk and
bicycle to school, is proposed to be funded at $1
billion.

Other trails and greenways projects in North Carolina
would benefit from this legislation. The City of
Greenville’s greenway system would receive $2.015
million for the construction of three additional
sections totaling 6.5 miles, and Charlotte would get
$3 million to design and construct a regional
shared-use pedestrian and bicycle pathway along Little
Sugar Creek.

(Special thanks to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy for
their contribution to this report. Please visit their
website at http://www.railtrails.org/.)

REGIONAL GREENWAYS UPDATE

The East Coast Greenway

The East Coast Greenway is destined for the Triangle.
The ECG, which aims to link Maine to Florida via a
network of local greenways, has the overarching theme
"A Trail Connecting Cities." While its exact route
through the Triangle has not been finalized,
supporters cite no lack of possibilities, north to
south, and east to west.

East Coast Greenway Alliance member Dave Connelly has
some thoughts on these possible future connections.
“The ECG through Raleigh-Durham is going to be
important for years to come – it will be the
flatlanders' version of the Appalachian Trail.
Triangle residents and ECG advocates are fortunate
that the American Tobacco Trail is coming along nicely
to serve the western half of our metro area…”

“Now we need to focus on routing through Wake County.
Its population of 600,000 could justify the
development of two or three north-south greenway
corridors as integral parts of the ECG system. When I
say ‘through Wake County,’ I mean all the way through,
from top to bottom. The City of Raleigh is making
excellent progress on greenways within Raleigh; Cary
likewise. But there is much more, geographically, to
Wake County…”

“We need to be thinking about how to create
bike-friendly greenways all the way into Granville
County, linking up with Oxford. We also need
connection(s) from Walnut Creek (the stream, not the
concert venue) to Harnett County, arriving in Angier.
How about linking the lakes along the way south: Lake
Raleigh, Lake Johnson, Yates Millpond, and Lake
Wheeler for starters?”

Thanks for your thoughts, Dave. If you are not
familiar with the East Coast Greenway project, please
check out the website: www.greenway.org. Use the
scroll bar on the left of the page to find the NC map
within the website, right-click on it, and save it to
your computer.

Mountains-to-Sea Trail

The Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea trail held a
statewide workday on April 3…
Currently three people are listed at
www.trailjournals.com as section hiking the MST this
year. Check them out and follow along on their
adventure… The Southeastern Foot Trails Conference
will be held April 28 - May 1, 2005 at Table Rock
State Park near Pickens, SC. This event will be
hosted by American Hiking Society. See the NCMST
website at http://www.ncmst.org/.

(Submitted by Jeff Brewer)

American Tobacco Trail

Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Receives Two
Major Grants

As reported last month, the Triangle Rails-to-Trails
Conservancy has received a grant for $5,000 from the
Carolina Tarwheels Bicycle Club . This will help TRTC
build and maintain the ATT in both Durham and Chatham
counties. In awarding the grant, Tarwheels President
Wendy Roberts noted, "The Carolina Tarwheels strongly
support TRTC's efforts to advocate local governments
to finish the American Tobacco Trail. We especially
applaud their enthusiasm and expertise to build and
manage portions of the trail so cyclists and others
can use them now."

TRTC also received another $5,000 grant from
Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) on the
opening of their new Durham store. REI CEO Dennis
Madsen presented the check noting that REI has long
supported rail-trail efforts. They were especially
proud to support the ATT which is located less than
1/4 mile from their new Durham store.

(Submitted by Bill Bussey)

TRIANGLE GREENWAYS UPDATE

Raleigh

People for Parks Launches Greenway Wildlife Projects
The organization People for Parks is working with
other community groups to enhance to Walnut Creek
Greenway in Raleigh and the Black Creek Greenway in
Cary for wildlife habitat and viewing. The project
will include building and installing birdhouses on the
Black Creek Greenway.

Greenways for Wildlife Volunteers are needed:

For more information call Kelly Cunningham at 755-8011

or email Kelly@people4parks.org.

Free trees are available for planting on public land
(like parks) from the Triangle J Council of
Governments’ Regional Appearance Committee. The
committee has 500 hardwood tree seedlings from
National Tree Trust grants. These trees can be planted
through late spring.

For more information contact Renée Boyette, TJCOG

member services director,
at (919) 558-9403 or rboyette@tjcog.org.

People for Parks is a nonprofit, grass-roots parks
support organization working to promote the
community’s enjoyment of, involvement in, and
stewardship of local park systems in Wake County.

For more information, click onto their website at
http://www.people4parks.org.

Chapel Hill

The Chapel Hill Greenways Commission received a report
from the Town’s Parks and Recreation Director Kathryn
Spatz, listing the Town’s action goals for
FY2004-2005. Continued greenway acquisition and
construction figure prominently. These items include:

Dry Creek Trail (parking lot): Build parking lot on
Erwin Road using Adopt-a-Trail grant. Progress:
Design work is complete. Construction anticipated for
April.

Booker Creek Linear Park: Acquire final easement and
begin construction. Progress: Two out of the three
needed easements have been obtained. The preliminary
set of final plans has been completed.

Bolin Creek Trail Conceptual Plan: Develop a
conceptual plan if Orange County makes funds available
for use in this fiscal year. Progress: The process
issue has been resolved. However, it is uncertain when
funding will be made available for the initial project
or when the project will start.

Extension of Fan Branch Trail into Southern Community
Park: Begin design of this component of the Fan Branch
Trail. Progress: Development of a Special Use Permit
application has started.

Complete Trails in Pritchard Park: Work with
volunteers to compete the trail. Progress: Two Eagle
Scout candidates are currently scheduled to work near
Audubon Road.

Morgan Creek Land Acquisition: Complete greenway
acquisitions along Morgan Creek. Progress: All
targeted properties (26 acres) have been acquired.

More on Morgan Creek: Options for development of a
trail along Morgan Creek are being explored. The
Morgan Creek Trail Conceptual Plan Committee is
developing a draft conceptual plan that eventually
will be presented to the governments of Chapel Hill,
Carrboro, and Orange County. The Committee is
currently recessed awaiting a revised study of the
Morgan Creek floodway. Their work cannot proceed until
the new flood data is complete in late spring of 2004.
The Committee hopes to be able to make recommendations
in late 2004. For more information, contact Bill
Webster at bwebster@townofchapelhill.org.

(Submitted by Bill Webster)

Durham

Durham’s responsiveness to issues affecting the
day-to-day needs of bicyclists and pedestrians pleases
many. Following is a summary, with appropriate kudos:

Reported: A large pothole in middle of bike route
where South Ellerbe Trail crosses West Markham. This
torn-up section of street could wipe out a bicyclist
coming down the trail. Action: Public Works repaired
area within a week, thanks to Director Katie Kalb.

Reported: Buckled asphalt on South Ellerbe Trail
(north of downtown). Action: Repaired same day, thanks
to Beth Timson.

Inquiry: Re-align the Corcoran Street bike corridor.
Response: Immediate response with helpful explanation
of plans for extra-wide lanes through downtown, thanks
to Mark Greenspan (City GenServices).

Requested: Install five new "Share the Road" signs
along Cornwallis Road, between American Tobacco Trail
and RTP, to remind motorists to keep a watchful eye
for bicyclists on the side of the road. Action:
Public Works responded in 48 hours and installed all
five signs in a short period of time, thanks to Public
Works director Katie Kalb and Phil Loziuk.

Reported: Dangerous run-off from new apartment
construction covered the entire shoulder for several
dozen meters along Cornwallis Road with a slick carpet
of pebbles and red mud. Action: On the same day they
received the requests, the County instructed the
University Village contractor to sweep the shoulders
clear and add additional stone to the construction
entrance and keep tracked-on mud off Cornwallis Rd,
thanks to Tim Holland and Charles Armbrust (County
Sedimentation & Erosion Control).

Reported: Rock-filled hole covering Cornwallis Road
shoulder, forcing bicyclists into fast-moving travel
lane. Action: Public Works patched the area within
short period of time.

(The Editor wishes to thank John Schelp for this
contribution.)

INFORMATION SOURCE

The Trails and Greenways Clearinghouse announces the
launch of its redesigned Web site. The new site will
include a funding database, technical and
informational resources, the Trails and Greenways
Yellow Pages, referrals to trail and greenway
developers and advocates, and e-mail listserv. Visit
the Trails and Greenways Clearinghouse at
www.trailsandgreenways.org

ABOUT THE TRIANGLE GREENWAYS COUNCIL: WHO WE ARE

*A land trust: accepting donations of important
greenway corridors; building a fund to purchase
critical open space; maintaining and constructing
trails within the region.

*An advocacy organization: promoting greenways in the
Triangle; organizing regional conferences; raising
awareness; increasing networking; building a
pro-greenway constituency.

*An informational clearinghouse: a single source of
information about every greenway project and program
affecting our region; providing 'trail alerts' about
important trails and greenways issues coming before
local town boards, city councils, and county
commissions; mapping the network of regional trails
and greenways; sharing resources among the region's
trails, greenways, and parks advocacy groups.

QUOTE

"Art is a man's nature; nature is God's art." Philip
James Bailey, 1816-1902

REMINDER:

National Trails Day is June 5, 2004 - save the date!

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