Maryland Trails Summit - Progress, Challenges, and Future Plans

1. MARYLAND TRAILS SUMMIT

2. MARYLAND TRAILS

3. WE HAVE BEEN BUSY! It’s easy to get all bummed out and feel like we’re stuck in the mud when it comes to trails. But the truth is: WE have made great progress on the trail front, and there are many groups and individuals who are making a big difference, like Kit Valentine, who passed away this winter, and who championed the Short Line Trail in Catonsville.

4. WHAT DO WE HAVE? • Over 1,000 miles of paved & natural surface multi-use trails on DNR lands, like the trails in Patapsco Valley State Park • 580 miles of paved, ADA compatible trails, like the B&A Trail, Gwynn’s Falls Trail, and the Cross Island Trail, on other, non-DNR public lands • Almost 1,000 miles of paved and unpaved county, municipal and privately-owned trails open to the public • Over 600 miles of designated water trails

5. Survey Results

6. Survey Results

7. Survey Results

8. TRAIL USERS • Hikers • Bikers • Equestrian • Runners • Off Highway Vehicles • Boaters

9. ECONOMIC IMPACTS • Maryland State Park visitors directly spend more than $567 million during their trips to State Parks, producing a total economic impact of more than $650 million annually. • Every $1 spent on parks generates $29 in revenue. • State park visitor spending supported more than 10,000 full-time jobs and generated more than $39 million in state and local retail, gasoline, hotel, and income taxes. • 70 percent of spending and employment impacts are within 20 minutes of State Parks in local, "gateway communities”, often in rural settings.

10. STATE-WIDE NETWORK • The Goal: Connect our public lands to the places where people live, work, shop & play. • We have an unconnected system of trails. • We Do NOT have a state trails network!

11. MARYLAND TRAIL ATLAS Maryland Trails Atlas

12. FINDING A TRAIL MAP • The portal to State Stat maps can be found at: www.imap.maryland.gov • DNR Trail Maps at: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/map_template/trailmaps/trail_atlas.html http://www.mdmerlin.net/mapper.html • Maryland Department of Transportation maps: http://www.mdot.maryland.gov/IncludedContent/New%20MDOT%20Site/tabPages/Bike_Walk.html • Maryland Tourism Maps at: http://www.visitmaryland.org/map/Pages/Maryland.aspx

13. DNR GEOPDF TRAIL MAPS

14. TRAIL CHALLENGES • Unsustainable Trails • Rogue Trails • Lack of Funding for Maintenance • Lack of Volunteers • Lack of Accurate Trail Data • Unsafe Gaps Between Trails • Lack of Water Access • Limited Access for the Physically Challenged

15. WHERE ARE THE GAPS? • We need to all agree on our trail priorities. • What are the critical links? • State, county comprehensive and recreation plans, and regional transportation plans rarely agree on what are the critical on-road and off-road trail links.

16. TRAIL FUNDING • Transportation Alternatives • Maryland Bikeways • Recreational Trails Program • Program Open Space • Waterway Improvement Fund

17. RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM • Federal Highway funds are administered by the State Highway Administration (SHA) • Focus is on developing Motorized and Non-Motorized Recreational Trails • Projects include: pedestrian uses (hiking, running, wheelchair); bicycling; in-line skating; equestrian; kayaking; cross country skiing; four wheel driving; off-road motorcycling; and all terrain vehicle trails

18. RTP FUNDING • MD gets about $1 million annually • Capped at $30,000 for non-construction and $40,000 for construction projects • 80% federal funds and 20% in-kind or cash match • 50% goes to DNR and 50% goes to non-DNR projects

19. BETTER COMMUNICATION • State Trails Team • DNR/MDOT/SHA Trail Team • Land Preservation, Parks & Recreation Plans and the Maryland Recreation Plan • MD Bike/Ped Advisory Committee • Regional Bicycle Advisory Groups • Public & Private Trails Websites • Facebook • Twitter • On-Line Maps

20. PARTNERSHIPS • National Park Service – National Heritage Trails • State Agencies – Sharing Data and Closing the Gaps • Counties – Bike/Ped Plans and Recreation Plans • Heritage & Tourism Heritage Offices – Promoting Economic Tourism • Businesses – Event & Technical Support • Trail Groups – Sustainable Trails • Rails to Trails – Developing Rail Lines

21. WHAT’S NEXT ? • Western Rail Trail – Phase 5 • Meadow Mountain Trail – Eastern Continental Divide Loop Trail • Garrett County Mountain Bike Hub • Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail • Star Spangled Banner Trail • Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Scenic Trail • 9/11 National Memorial Trail • Anacostia Trail • Mason Dixon Trail – Lower Susquehanna Greenway • East Coast Greenway Trail • Three Notch Trail

22. WHERE TO WE GO FROM HERE? • Get on the same page regarding the state priority trail projects • Pool Resources • Build Safe & Sustainable Trails • Utilize Utility Corridors to Close Critical Gaps • Provide Greater Access for ALL users • Help us create a state advocacy & trails network • Get outside and have some fun on a Maryland trail!