Filed under: Hiking, North America, United StatesAt one time, railroad lines ran on a network of tracks 270,000 miles long. Through countryside and residential areas they ran to connect America. But then highways came along and many railroad lines were abandoned, disconnecting neighborhoods and people. Now, those abandoned lines are being used to reconnect in an engaging way not all that different than how today's electronic social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter are connecting people, families and business.
Rail-trails are former railroad lines used to create a multi-use path, typically for walking, hiking or cycling. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making that happen.
"Railroads had such a pivotal role in the development of the country, especially in the opening of the West. Many communities' identity sprang up around the railroads, so [preserving rail trails] preserves an important piece of American history" said Laura Cohen, the Western regional director of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy reports the LA Times. "We look at rail trails as a way to reconnect neighborhoods and reconnect people."
There are 19,000 miles of rail trails reconnecting America, up from a mere 100 miles when Rails-to-Trails was founded in 1986 but 9,000 miles of potential rail-trails are waiting to be built.
Continue reading Rail Trails reconnecting America old school styleRail Trails reconnecting America old school style originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
No comments:
Post a Comment