American Trails and Greenways resources, articles, studies, information on planning, design, development, maintenance, and management

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Studies of the impacts of trails and greenways, surveys of outdoor recreation activities, and research on adjacent landowner concerns and property values. Also see economic studies, benefits, and tourism.

Public Choices and Property Values: Evidence from Greenways in Indianapolis (pdf 410 kb)
Four studies on Trail Effects on Neighborhoods: Home Value, Safety, Quality of Life
Home Sales near Two Massachusetts Rail Trails by Craig Della Penna
Greenway Proximity Study: A Look at Four Neighbourhoods in Surrey, BC (pdf 1.6 mb)
Omaha Recreational Trails: Their Effect on Property Values and Public Safety
Study evaluates impacts to adjacent land uses and residents along White Pine rail trail, Michigan
Rail-Trails and Safe communities: The Experience on 372 Trails (pdf 593 kb), 1998
Two Studies Find Trails Make Good Neighbors
Property Values and Landowner Concerns on the B&O rail trail in Indiana
The Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail & its Impact on Adjoining Residential Properties, 1997

Indiana Trails Study: survey conclusions and recommendations related to trail neighbors
Study of Nearby Businesses and Adjacent Residential Landowners to the Isabella County Extension of the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail
Brief descriptions of trails adjacent to golf courses: examples from several sources nationwide
Study of two successful Canadian rural trails, one on an active irrigation canal alignment and the other converted from an abandoned rail line (pdf 123 kb)
Nordic Ski Trail Easements and Property Values
Public access wins in court: more protection for landowners
Town Agrees To Remove Bike Trail Fence
Rail-Trails and Liability: A Primer on Trail-Related Risk Management Techniques (pdf 680kb)

Six Myths of Community Trails: The Case of Bonneville Shoreline Trail
Crime, Property Values, Trail Opposition & Liability Issues by Tim Eling (pdf 1.5 mb)
Overcoming opposition to bicycling, walking, and trail development (pdf 1.5 mb)
Life adjacent to a rail trail: a bed and breakfast inn next to a trail by Craig Della Penna
Changing trends in backcountry trail use
Forest Recreation's Growing Impact

The Next Generation of Outdoor Participants - 2007
Outdoor Industry Foundation study of 7 years of outdoor recreation participation (1998-2004)
Canalway Trail User Count and methodology (pdf)
Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail and Greenway User
Survey to measure economic and recreational benefits
Austin, Texas survey of the Town Lake Trail
Study finds 178,000 annual visitors to Pere Marquette Trail
Effects of trails on cycling, Twin Cities 2000
Arizona Trails 2000 survey of motorized and nonmotorized trail users (pdf 330 kb)
Summary of Summer Trail Use and User Surveys on nine Minnesota rail trails
Results of North Carolina comprehensive trail and greenway survey
A Survey of Nova Scotia Hiking Trail Users
Huckleberry Trail System Users Survey: Demographics, (VA) 2000
User Survey for the Pennsylvania Allegheny Trail
Survey of Pine Creek Rail Trail users in PA
Mountain Biking at Tsali: An Assessment of Users and Management Alternatives, USDA Forest Service
Assessment of User Demographics, Preferences, and Economics of three Virginia trails:

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