Project Planning and Design

Project Planning and Design Skills Include:

    Project Cost Estimation

    Ability to determine cost of project construction, maintenance and related oversight, permitting and planning (including tools, consumables, volunteer and staff time, equipment, materials), locating sources of professional and technical assistance, and evaluating contract proposals.

    Implementation Plan

    Accurately interpret specifications, construction process notes, and construction documents to develop an implementation plan based on available labor and funding.

    Trail Specifications

    Identify trail elements (i.e. tread material, width, height, grades, and structures) that are appropriate for the intended use, resource conditions, budget, and stewardship capacity.

    Design

    Delineate the trail alignment, width, height, grade and structures appropriate to the intended trail use.

    Trail Plans

    Transfer field-delineated trail design (location, alignment, structures), along with construction process, materials, notes, special conditions into a document that will guide the trail development process.

    Interpretation

    Identify specific interpretive and educational opportunities on trails to contextualize the visitor experience (e.g., history, habitats, scenery, flora/fauna), and make recommendations for interpretive method.

    Permitting

    Ensure compliance with applicable permitting requirements including (but not limited to): National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), Section 106 of the Antiquities Act, the Historic Preservation Act, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), local and regional permitting, water/wetland crossings, environmental review compliance, etc.

    Universal Design/ADA Accessibility

    Use universal design principles, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Architectural Barriers Act accessibility standards to design, layout, and lead construction of accessible trail and trail facilities.


Learn More

Resources for Project Planning and Design

Introduction to Trail Assessment Using UTAP and HETAP
Introduction to Trail Assessment Using UTAP and HETAP

This webinar will discuss the assessment work that Beneficial Designs does in regards to the Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP) and the High-Efficiency Trail Assessment Process (HETAP) and how the data is collected and can be viewed by the…

United States Access Board - Outdoor Developed Areas
United States Access Board - Outdoor Developed Areas

The Access Board is responsible for developing accessibility guidelines for the construction and alteration of facilities covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968.

Approvals, Permits, and Compliance
Approvals, Permits, and Compliance

This webinar will walk through the typical processes, jurisdictions, timelines, and documentation needed to get a conceptual trail project through approval and implementation.

THE INTERTWINE Regional Trails Signage Guidelines
THE INTERTWINE Regional Trails Signage Guidelines

This manual serves as a technical resource to guide parks and transportation agencies as they plan, design, and fabricate wayfinding signage along regional trails in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area.

Further Education

Related Training Programs

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Improve this skill

Upcoming Trainings for Project Planning and Design

Project Management for Effective Planning and Design Results
Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals
Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals
Grand Canyon Greenway: From Vision to Reality
American Trails
American Trails
Trail Skills Institute Module 4: Trail Design and Layout
Arizona Trail Association
Arizona Trail Association
Trail Skills Institute Module 4: Trail Design and Layout

April 06 - 07, 2024

Tucson, Arizona

Move United Education Conference
Move United
Move United
Move United Education Conference

April 22 - 24, 2024

2024 Columbia Cascades Trail Skills College
Pacific Crest Trail Association
Pacific Crest Trail Association
2024 Columbia Cascades Trail Skills College

April 26 - 28, 2024

Cascade Locks, Oregon

California Trails & Greenways 2024
California Trails and Greenways Foundation (CTGF)
California Trails and Greenways Foundation (CTGF)
California Trails & Greenways 2024

April 30 - May 03, 2024

Custom Trainings

There are 50 trainers on TrailSkills
with Project Planning and Design experience.

Vaike

Vaike Haas

Trainer Higher Education

Morgantown, WV

I lead WVU's Sustainable Trails Curriculum, am a licensed landscape architect and Associate…

Steve

Steve Kruger

Trainer Nonprofit

Portland, OR

Steve has worked in parks and natural areas for nearly 20 years, around San Francisco, Milwaukee,…

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Hire Workers

There are 189 profiles on TrailSkills
with Project Planning and Design experience.

Susie

Susie Murphy

San Diego Mountain Biking Association

Nonprofit

Chula Vista, CA

Susie Murphy started riding mountain bikes in the early 1990s in order to follow her husband who…

Sarah

Sarah Torgerson

North Dakota Parks and Recreation

Agency

Bismarck, ND

I served with AmeriCorps on trail crews of 3 years. I spent the second 2 years as a crew leader and…

Matt

Matt Malone

Nature Trails, LLC

Contractor Trainer

Brevard, NC

Michael

Michael Meister

Agency

Nashville, TN

Since 2015 Michael has overseen the maintenance and management for the 1,300 mile hiking, biking,…

Jacob

Jacob Hyde

Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship

Contractor Trainer Nonprofit

Santa Cruz, CA

Landon

Landon Welsh

Pacific Crest Trail Association

Trainer Nonprofit

Seattle, WA

Volunteer Training Coordinator for the Pacific Crest Trail Association-- planning trail-wide…

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Trail Skills Collaborators
Federal Highway Administration USDA Forest Service National Park Service Bureau of Land Management
American Trails Professional TrailBuilders Association Partnership for the National Trails System Northern Vermont University Northwest Arkansas Community College Eppley Institute Corps Network