Greensboro Plan2Play Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019

142 - FEBRUARY 2019

Action 7c. Connect trails into the overall multi-modal system and link plans with other planning efforts to seek federal, state, and local funding. Pedestrian, bike, and greenway trails cross many organizations and districts. The Department should link into existing multi-modal design strategies across all scales ranging from Community, City, County, State, and to the regional scale. Coordination with the Greensboro Planning Department, Greensboro’s Department of Transportation (GDOT), North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), Guilford County’s planning and recreation departments, and High Point's planning and recreation departments will be critical to future trail success. The City currently collects trail count data along the A&Y, Downtown, and Lake Daniel greenways, and the Blue Heron mountain bike trail. Expanding the trail counting program is critical to understanding trail usage and evaluating the economic impact of our trail system. It will also be important to increase trail counting efforts, to help prioritize trail connections and maintenance needs (including consistent trail maintenance management and ample

funds and personnel for upkeep as system grows). Well maintained trails are not only attractive, they are also safer and provide visitors with an enhanced sense of safety. Establish partnerships with relevant Federal, State, and Local organizations for trail and transportation funding opportunities - The Department should seek opportunities with these organizations and others to capitalize on federal and state funding opportunities through programs such as NRPA's Safe Routes to Parks Program. The Department should also look to local partners that might help fund more localized park trails. Examples of these could be libraries or schools that might help support themed trails in adjacent parks such as books walks or alphabet loops. Local businesses could also be approached as part of an adopt- a-trail campaign. Other partners could include Piedmont Land Conservancy, who could help fund environmental education experiences. Connect the City's trail system into regional greenways - The recently completed Piedmont Greenway Feasibility Study identified an opportunity to partner with the Department for the first phase of the trail between NC 220 and I-73, to

build a natural surface trail almost entirely on publicly-owned land. This partnership and trail extension will further extend Greensboro's regional trail reach beyond its boundaries to other regional trails and serve as a valuable off-road connector for the Mountain to Sea Trail. Coordinate greenway design and planning with GDOT and the BiPed Plan - The BiPed Plan is of particular importance, and all Plan2Play efforts should align with and support this document. Currently the BiPed Plan plan proposes 162 miles, or a 180% increase of new trails within City limits. This is a lofty goal, and “community loop” idea follows proposed circulation routes within the BiPed Plan , prioritizing connections that would form greenway links. Overall coordination between GDOT and the Department will be critical to long-term success of future greenways and trails. Specific recommendations within the BiPed Plan that relate to Plan2Play include: • Renaming and consolidating existing greenways (i.e. North Buffalo Creek Greenways and South Buffalo Creek Greenway). • Adopting typical trail section design criteria.