Trails Plan:
Cover and Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Regional Trail Priorities
Chapter 3: Planning Your Trail
Chapter 4: Resources for Your Trail
Chapter 5: Getting Help and Information You Need
Appendix A: Trails Inventory
Appendix B: Definitions
Appendix C: Online Resources
Appendix D: County Trail Maps
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The Minnesota Recreational Trails Plan provides guidance for the development of trails in west central Minnesota. This plan inventories existing trails in the region, facilitates coordination of regional-level trails planning activities and recommends possible links in the regional trails network. It also serves as a resource for persons working on local-level trails in their communities.
In 1991, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) marked the advent of the Transportation Enhancements program. Funding through this program, commonly referred to as “Enhancements” or sometimes simply “TE,” is used for a variety of “non-traditional” transportation projects. One of the primary uses of TE funds in ATP 4 has been for multi-use trails. The Enhancement program continues today as part of the latest Federal transportation bill, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).
Over the last several years, a number of initiatives have taken place to develop trails, both locally and sub-regionally. However, little effort had been made to tie individual trail plans or projects together. WCI formed the Trails Planning Committee and Trails Networking Group to discuss how best to coordinate the work being done on trails throughout the region.
WCI and the trails groups quickly realized no coordination was taking place beyond the local level. They decided to develop a plan to serve as an overall guide for trails development in the region. A draft trails plan was developed in 2005, with this update serving as the final version of the plan.
Local trail planning groups needed guidance in how to begin planning a trail, how to connect with resources (both technical and fiscal), how to identify and connect with stakeholders, and what to plan for in terms of cost – from the first planning stage, to construction and finally maintenance.
Additionally, trail funding organizations and agencies often give funding prioritization to trails projects that have gone through a comprehensive planning process, and to trails that are part of a larger overall plan.
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