FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Great State Coalition?

The Great Trails State Coalition is a broad-based group of diverse organizations, agencies and supporters advocating for increased state investment in all types of trails statewide.

What types of trails does the Great Trails State Coalition support?

The Great Trails State Coalition supports all types of non-motorized trails, including hiking trails, paved greenways, paddle trails, mountain bike, and equestrian trails.

Why are trails important for communities?

Trails and greenways provide numerous benefits to communities, not only recreational and environmental benefits, but also significant economic development, health, and transportation benefits. also help create positive community pride and identity, with financial returns that far exceed public investments.

What are the economic benefits of trails?

With a high rate of return, investments in trails contribute significantly to local economies and tourism, particularly in rural areas, by creating desirable places for people to visit, live and work. Trails also create more attractive, safer communities, increase property values and tax revenues, enhance marketability, and increase home sales or leases faster than conventional development. In a study conducted by NC DOT, a one-time $26.7M capital investment in 4 different greenways in NC returned the following: $19.4 M in estimated annual sales revenue in local businesses, $48.7M in estimated business revenue from greenway construction, $648K in estimated annual sales tax revenue for local governments. In other words, every $1.00 of trail construction returns $1.72 annually from local businesses. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that for every $98,000 in transportation related construction spending, there is one short-term job created (short-term defined as lasting for one year). What are the health benefits of trails?

Trails and greenways are accessible, free and safe healthy recreation amenities for all ages to cycle, walk, hike, jog, ride, paddle, or skate. Trails make it easy for people to incorporate exercise into their daily routines by connecting them with places they want or need to go. Communities that encourage physical activity by making use of trails and greenways can see a significant positive impact on public health and wellness. A 2017 study by the Alliance of 70 miles of their route in the Triangle region produced the following health benefits:

What are the transportation benefits of trails?

Greenways and trails can function as alternative transportation corridors, serving as an important part of an urban and/or regional multi-modal transportation system. The ability to avoid congested streets and highways, and travel through natural areas on foot or by non-motorized means, is a large factor in a community's "livability", as well as safety. There are an estimated 193 bicyclists and pedestrians killed each year in (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2017). Off-road greenways reduce injury rates by 60% (Teschke, Kay. “Route Infrastructure and the Risk of Injuries to Bicyclists”. (2012). American Public Health Association).

What are the environmental benefits of trails?

Typically linear by design, greenways protect important habitat and provide corridors for people and wildlife. They also help improve air and water quality. By protecting land along rivers and streams, greenways prevent soil erosion and filter pollution caused by agricultural and road runoff. Greenways can serve as natural floodplains. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, flooding causes over $1 billion in property damages every year. By restoring developed floodplains to their natural state, many riverside communities are preventing potential flood damage. Finally, trails and greenways are hands-on environmental classrooms. People of all ages can see for themselves the precious and intriguing natural world from which they often feel so far removed.

How do trails promote inclusion and equity?

Trails are free community infrastructure providing people of every age, ability and socioeconomic background safe and inexpensive spaces for outdoor physical activity, commuting and recreation, providing access to nature, to safe routes and healthy lifestyles, and to low‐impact tourism that benefits rural, urban, and suburban communities.

How important are trails to North Carolina’s economy?

Outdoor Recreation is a $28 Billion Industry in NC, the 6th largest outdoor recreation economy in the . This industry directly supports 260,000 jobs. Our trails, greenways and blueways are the infrastructure that supports this industry. Outdoor recreation is going to play a very large role in the COVID recovery process and there are 178 million potential customers within a day’s drive who can enjoy our natural resources and spend money in our communities. https://edpnc.com/industries/orec/

What is the goal of the Great Trails State Coalition?

The goal of the Great Trails State Coalition is to secure sustained state investment in trail projects all across the state, through appropriations to the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (State Parks and Recreational Trails Program), NC Department of Transportation (Integrated Mobility Division), and NC Department of Commerce (Visit NC) for trail programs and projects.

Why is State investment in trails important?

Compared to other peer states, NC lags behind in direct state funding for trail projects. All funds for trail projects, other than some limited NC DOT planning funds, are federal pass through dollars. Small rural communities are particularly at a disadvantage because of burdensome match requirements, often leaving potentially available federal dollars inaccessible.

Why does this need to happen now?

North Carolina communities are ready for trails now. The NC DOT recently published the Great Trails State Plan, a statewide plan for shared-use paths that connect all 100 North Carolina Counties. With this blueprint ready, we need to start investing in our communities now.

Between 2010 and 2018, 43 of North Carolina’s rural counties saw a net loss of people according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Rural areas are struggling with population decline, low property values, and a small tax base impacting schools, services, and infrastructure. Creating high quality recreation trails is one tool that has been shown to be a powerful economic engine for small towns.

Simultaneously, trails and greenways have seen a significant increase in use and crowding since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic underscoring the demand for places to walk and bike where people can be active at a safe social distance. The number of trail users have doubled and even tripled in many locations and NC State Parks had record visitations in 2020 despite a six week closure. NC communities need lasting investments. We want to be ready to tap into federal green infrastructure stimulus funding opportunities and put these dollars to work in rural and urban areas alike, centered on trails as a unifying infrastructure. No other single type of investment impacts as many aspects of our lives, including health, safety, mobility, recreation, environment, and economic development. Now is the time to make an investment that will connect our communities and benefit North Carolinians for generations to come.

Who is involved in the Great Trails State Coalition?

There are a wide variety of organizations and agencies involved in the Great Trails State Coalition, including local, regional and statewide nonprofit organizations, trails organizations and governmental partners. For a complete listing, see www.GreatTrailsNC.org (under construction, to be up by early March 2021)

What is the Year of the Trail all about?

The Great Trails State Coalition seeks to designate 2023 as Year of the Trail, to celebrate North Carolina's extensive trail networks, including State Trails, regional trail networks and local trails, representing multi-use greenways, water, hiking, equestrian and mountain bike trails. There will be special programming throughout the year to highlight and celebrate trails all across the State to recognize our trails as essential community infrastructure for quality of life, recreation, and community economic development.

What is the Great Trails State Plan?

The Great Trails State Plan is a first of its kind, statewide trail map network of existing and proposed shared-use paths and trails that connect every county in North Carolina, with a focus on connections between population centers and North Carolina State Parks. The plan includes a 5-year implementation strategy. The planning effort was led by the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division, in coordination with the NCDOT Transportation Planning Division and North Carolina State Parks. Whereas NCDOT's Great Trails State Plan focuses on shared use paths, this Great Trails State Coalition includes all types of trails. https://www.ncdot.gov/divisions/bike-ped/great-trails- state/Pages/default.aspx

What and where are State Trails?

State Trails are regional trails are authorized by the General Assembly and represent some of the State’s most magnificent landscapes from the mountains to the coast. North Carolina currently has nine official State Trails which are part of the State Parks system: Mountains-to-Sea Trail, , , State Trail, Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail, Northern Peaks State Trail, Overmountain Victory State Trail, Wilderness Gateway State Trail, and the State Trail. https://trails.nc.gov/state-trails

How will this change things for me?

We have identified investment ready projects all across the State, in every county North Carolina Executable Trails (arcgis.com). These projects will create lasting, accessible outdoor recreation infrastructure that you can use for healthy recreation and economic development opportunities. In addition, NC DOT’s Great Trails State Plan identifies more future projects to connect all of our counties, and our State Trails map shows where efforts are underway to create regional connections for these projects. Finally, reach out to your local community to find out about trail projects in your area. Find out more by visiting our project map.

Where can I find out more information?

Visit GreatTrailsNC.org

How can I help?

You can help by talking to your elected officials at your local and state level about the importance of trails to your community. Need some talking points? Use this list of Frequently Asked Questions or get in touch with us (insert [email protected] email address).