[ RESOURCES
ALLEGHENY PLACES: PARKS, OPEN SPACE, & GREENWAYS PLAN
Allegheny County Comprehensive Plan
The Allegheny Green Web initiative is aiming to help implement this component of Allegheny Places (www.alleghenyplaces.com), and further build on it.
ACTIVE ALLEGHENY GRANT PROGRAM
Allegheny County
Financial assistance for municipalities and councils of governments to develop community plans and design transportation projects that will, when implemented, provide 1) bicycle and pedestrian connections to important local destinations and transportation systems, and 2) increase residents’ opportunities for physical activity.
ALLEGHENY COUNTY GIS VIEWER
Free ArcGIS Access
View many ArcGIS mapping layers of Allegheny County for free, including property ownership parcels. Understanding property ownership along a conceptual trail and green space corridor is one of the first steps to understanding a conceptual project's feasibility.
PENNSYLVANIA’S TRAIL NETWORK STRATEGY AND MAJOR GREENWAYS
DCNR
DCNR has released the 2020-2024 Trail Plan, which covers goals and recommendations for development of a statewide network of greenways and trails. On this page, also view PA’s Priority Trail Gaps map, and other trail resources on the sidebar, including “Pennsylvania Trail Design and Development Principles: Guidelines for Sustainable Non-Motorized Trails.”
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION RESOURCE CENTER
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
SPC's web-based toolkit is a central clearinghouse for the latest information on active transportation. Resources include information on programs that support biking and walking, potential funding opportunities, design guidelines, and more. You can also view SPC’s Water Resource Center here, and their Open Data ArcGIS Hub here.
CONSERVATIONTOOLS.ORG LIBRARY
WeConservePA
This library compiles relevant trail and greenway documents, including the “Pennsylvania Trail Design and Development Principles: Guidelines for Sustainable Non-Motorized Trails” by DCNR. WeConservePA is the new name for the Pennsylvania Land Trust Alliance. Find additional trail and greenway resources from WeConservePA, here.
TRAIL RESOURCE LIBRARY
American Trails
Trail resources pertaining to advocacy, funding, planning and design, trail construction and maintenance, and management.
TRAIL RESOURCES
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has resources for the trail community including technical tips, best practices, and webinars.
CONSERVATION OPTIONS & BENEFITS FOR LANDOWNERS
DCNR/Penn State Extension, Hollow Oak Land Trust, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and Allegheny Land Trust
Learn about the many options for landowners to conserve their land in Allegheny County, and the many financial benefits of doing so, via the below linked document, as well as here, here, and here.
SIMILAR PLANNING IN OTHER REGIONS
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's "TrailNation"
On their web page, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy highlights many examples of regional trail and greenway coalitions across the nation, and their work. This includes the large-scale, four state (Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia) effort of the Industrial Heartlands Trail Coalition, which includes Allegheny County, PA. To visit the IHTC website directly, go to www.ihearttrails.org.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT CONNECTIONS
Implementing Connections Diagram
This slide, developed by the Allegheny Green Web for our municipal engagement planning workshops, will walk you through the common steps taken, to go from a new trail idea, to an implemented and maintained connection.
FUNDING FOR CONNECTIONS
Common Funding Opportunities Short List
This slide, developed by the Allegheny Green Web for our municipal engagement planning workshops, lists the most commonly sought-after funding sources for trails and green space connections in our region.
PUBLIC TRAILS & GREEN SPACE CONNECTIONS
What they are, terminology, and benefits
WHAT ARE THEY?
Public parks, open spaces, and conservation lands, oh my! These are some of the most common terms used for public green space places and destinations. The Allegheny Green Web's vision is to interconnect these places together, in Allegheny County, through public trail and green space connections.
Public trails are paths used for walking, hiking, bicycling, mountain biking, horseback riding and other forms of recreation or transportation, that are open to the public.
Greenways (or "green space connections", as a less technical term) are corridors of protected open space managed for conservation and recreation purposes, linking people, parks, and other places.
Often, if there is an off-road, multi-use trail, it is complemented by a surrounding greenway.
THEIR BENEFITS
The benefits and return on investment (ROI) of public trails and green space connections are profound:
Mobility options for residents, workers, and visitors between home, work, shopping, and more
Outdoor recreation options for residents and visitors
Increase in property values and consumer spending nearby
Development catalyzes nearby
Environmental protection of land, water, air, and wildlife
Protection of heritage and natural beauty
Reduces flooding and landslides
