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

Six Steps to Build a TrailNation™
American Trails
American Trails
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.

William

William Jones

USDA Forest Service

Trainer Agency

Hood River, OR

In my sixth year working wilderness, motorized, and non-motorized trails for the Forest Service;…

Mark

Mark Loseth

Contractor Trainer

Flagstaff, AZ

For over 10 years, I have been designing and leading field-based trail trainings for land agencies,…

Matt

Matt Malone

Nature Trails, LLC

Contractor Trainer

Brevard, NC

Mike

Mike Passo

American Trails

Contractor Trainer Nonprofit

Bellingham, WA

Mike Passo is the Executive Director of American Trails. Mike has also served as the Executive…

Andrea

Andrea Hassler

Access Fund

Contractor Trainer Nonprofit Higher Education

Chattanooga, TN

Brooke

Brooke Scatchard

Sinuosity

Contractor Trainer

Morristown, VT

Brooke’s many years of experience in planning, building, and riding mountain bike trails provide a…

Search and sort all 50 trainers

Hire Workers

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

Uriah

Uriah Steber

Contractor

Pierre, SD

Benchmark Trails has experience with developing new trail construction projects. Site feasibility,…

Justin

Justin Blackstead

USDA Forest Service

Agency

Sun Valley, ID

I have building and maintaining trails since 2008. Most of my experience has been in motorized and…

Walt

Walt Bready

Contractor Trainer Nonprofit

Blairsville, GA

Walt Bready is the former State of Georgia Trails Education Specialist and current owner of Trails…

Gary

Gary Schultz

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Agency

Indianapolis, IN

I am the Trails Coordinator with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. I work with the Next…

Marc

Marc Hildesheim

Contractor Trainer Nonprofit

Vaughn, MT

Marc Hildesheim is a lifelong OHV enthusiasts who lives in Eastern Washington with his wife, three…

Andrew

Andrew Deci

Maine Coast Heritage Trust

Nonprofit

Topsham, ME

Search and sort all 189 workers

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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