Sustainable Trail Bridge Design
Designing trail bridges based on trail-specific Trail Management Objectives (TMOs) is essential for providing the desired trail experience, for ensuring user safety, and for maximizing bridge longevity.
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.
Accurately interpret specifications, construction process notes, and construction documents to develop an implementation plan based on available labor and funding.
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.
Delineate the trail alignment, width, height, grade and structures appropriate to the intended trail use.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Resources for Project Planning and Design:
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Designing trail bridges based on trail-specific Trail Management Objectives (TMOs) is essential for providing the desired trail experience, for ensuring user safety, and for maximizing bridge longevity.
To help our volunteers succeed in their trail work, PCTA collaborated with many partners to develop a Trail Skills College curriculum.
This sourcebook is a comprehensive, visual guide to planning, designing, and fabricating effective wayside exhibits, information signs, and trails. Over 400 photographs from interpretive sites around the world illustrate effective techniques for…
This publication provides comprehensive guidance and instructions for applying Trail Fundamentals and Trail Management Objectives. This recently published version includes the original 2008 content, along with updated photos and formatting.
The Standard Trail Plans and Specifications reflect current Forest Service trail management efforts and the agency’s Trails Data Dictionary for constructed features and tasks.
This guidebook was written to help designers and managers apply FSORAG and FSTAG to their work and to pro- vide guidance for integrating accessibility into outdoor recreation site and trail projects.
Trail Skills Training Library
This webinar will break down how successful agencies manage parking, discuss common strategies and solutions to consider, and how to successfully deploy them.
This webinar will provide you with some of the needed tools, understanding, and resources of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing so that you can be more inclusive, respectful, and successful.
This webinar will feature three members of the original design team who will take attendees through the vision, design, and development process to develop the Grand Canyon Greenway.
This webinar will discuss adaptive recreation equipment and programming, as well as funding resources that can help facilitate equipment purchases and programming.
his webinar covers the latest issues and policies in planning and designing urban mobility networks, and how to integrate transportation with greenways and trails to create seamless metro-wide systems.
With an emphasis on community wide trail networks, the best practices explored in this session will better equip professionals and community members toward creating vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable communities through trail development.
Further Education
Partner with IMBA Trail Solutions and create with confidence. By deploying a complete range of skills–including visioning, detailed design, professional construction, and training for stewardship–our comprehensive approach saves resources.
Gain insight into best practices related to the design, construction and maintenance of trails. Learn about and apply techniques that can enhance, rehabilitate and protect trails and greenways. Participants will also learn about trail…
The Sustainable Trails curriculum welcomes students from various fields who are interested in trails development, programming and management, as well as design.
Because wildfires, wind storms, floods, gravity, and vegetation growth are constant threats to the PCT, the annual maintenance and reconstruction of the trail is a never-ending and monumental undertaking. Such work, historically carried out by…
American Trails brings agencies, trail builders, planners, architects, advocates, and volunteers the latest in state-of-the-art information on all aspects of trails and greenways. Our webinars focus on a variety of trail topics, usually applicable…
Skill Library
Training Calendar
Custom Trainings
Hire Workers
Bend, OR
GIS, Trail Planning and Winter Trails Steward
Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA)
Asheville, NC
Senior Director for Partnerships and Trail Operations
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Northampton, MA
MassTrails Program Director
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
Columbia, SC
State Trails Coordinator
South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
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