Citation

Hargett T. Am. City Cty. 2001; 116(1): 43-49.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Penton Media)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

This article describes the growing trend of converting abandoned rail corridors into trails for bicycling, walking, in-line skating, or other transportation or recreational purposes. Rail-trails are not new, but since the 1980s the number of trails has increased due to federal and state legislation allowing for alternative transportation spending. More than 1,200 rail-trails, totaling about 11,000 miles of converted track, have been completed since the 1960s in both rural and urban areas using a variety of funding and construction methods. The impact of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 on the growth of rail-trails is discussed, and several examples of rail corridors converted to rail-trails around the U.S. are provided.