Existing Trails & Bikeways in the Foothills Region
The Foothills Region already has some great places to walk and bike that we will build upon in this planning effort. Some of those places are below:
|
Related Plans, Programs & Organizations
Rutherfordton Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan
Connect Rutherfordton is the Town's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, adopted in 2017.
|
Spindale Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan
BikeWalkSpindale (2019) is a comprehensive plan for bicyclists and pedestrians in the Town of Spindale.
|
Forest City Pedestrian Plan
The 2015 Forest City: Heart and Sole pedestrian plan charts a path to improve walkability and increase pedestrian safety in the Town.
|
Thermal Belt Rail Trail Enhancement Master Plan
The Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority created the Thermal Belt Rail Trail Enhancement Master Plan to outline future improvements for trail users along the Thermal Belt Rail Trail. Recommendations include amenities for the trail itself, as well as opportunities to improve connectivity and access through wayfinding, safe crossings, and trail connections.
|
Isothermal Regional Bicycle Plan
The 2018 Isothermal Regional Bicycle Plan is the current bike plan for McDowell, Cleveland, Polk, and Rutherford counties. The plan serves as a guide for expanding the bike network around the Thermal Belt Rail Trail and across the region over a 30-year time horizon. Developed with extensive public and stakeholder input, the plan aims to connect people and places in the region using different types of bikeways and greenways.
|
Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) administers the state's Safe Routes to School program, which aims to make walking and biking to school into safe and fun options for all children across the state. The program includes several statewide initiatives to encourage active transportation to school as well as funding for planning and infrastructure projects to improve safety and air quality near schools.
|
Great Trails State Plan
NCDOT is developing the Great Trails State Plan in coordination with NC State Parks and Recreation. This comprehensive and visionary plan builds upon existing trails and planned projects with recommendations for new projects to achieve the ultimate goal: a trail network connecting every county in North Carolina.
|
Great Trails State Coalition
The Great Trails State Coalition consists of 45 member organizations--including non-profits, government agencies, and businesses--advocating for increased investment in all types of trails across NC. The Coalition's website highlights the economic, health, transportation, and environmental benefits of trails.
|
Additional Resources & Studies
Trails Research Searchable Benefits Library. Headwaters Economics compiled 120 studies on the impacts of trails in a single library, searchable by type of benefit, use, year, and region. Findings include:
- "Trails can generate business impacts and create new jobs by attracting visitors, especially overnight visitors.
- Local trail users often use community trails multiple times per week, and trails are a valuable part of residents’ quality of life.
- Trails are often associated with higher property value, especially when a trail is designed to provide neighborhood access and maintain residents’ privacy.
- Trails are associated with increased physical activity and improved public health, especially in rural places without other safe places to exercise."
Evaluating the Economic Contribution of Shared Use Paths in NC
Shared use paths, also known as greenways, provide a shared space for bicycle and pedestrian travel outside of the roadway. This project’s objective was to design and test an approach for measuring the economic contributions of greenways in North Carolina. The study found that, on average, every $1.00 of trail construction in North Carolina supports $1.72 annually from local business revenue, sales tax revenue, and benefits related to health and transportation.
Shared use paths, also known as greenways, provide a shared space for bicycle and pedestrian travel outside of the roadway. This project’s objective was to design and test an approach for measuring the economic contributions of greenways in North Carolina. The study found that, on average, every $1.00 of trail construction in North Carolina supports $1.72 annually from local business revenue, sales tax revenue, and benefits related to health and transportation.