The longest route for hikers in the US.
The objective of Rails To Trails Conservancy (RTC) is clear and it is to connect the US coasts through a path for cyclists and hikers, following some of the major rail routes that have operated since the last century.
The point is that this non-profit organization, and the largest in the country, needs politicians and funding to do it. Since their origins they have helped to connect to more than 1 million people and communities through the national network of public trails , many of them belong to old non-operational railway lines.
For more than a year they have been trying to carry out the most ambitious project in their history, the Great American Rail-Trail, which is currently at 52% completion , and who wants to connect regional trails across the country into one route.
“Imagine pedaling across the country in a safe, uninterrupted and panoramic road , or walking along a local trail that connects along historical routes . Imagine the incomparable experience of exploring America's heritage on trails: its potential, its beauty and bounty, its people and its places.
The work of Rails To Trails Conservancy dates back to the 1980s when they began to inspect all the railway routes likely to be transformed into footpaths.
"Since the 1980s, RTC has understood the potential for a trail like the Great American Rail-Trail to connect the nation. That vision has guided the organization for 30 years. Now we have the opportunity to build on that vision." a national treasure uniting millions of people along thousands of miles of trails ", stressed Ryan Chao, president of RTC.
So the idea is that the bike lane is separated from vehicular traffic and traverse 12 states from the Pacific to the Atlantic , covering 3,700 miles . In this way until 50 million people who live within 50 miles of the route could benefit from the trails, as well as their economic benefits.
An ambitious project but not impossible.
" The Great American Rail-Trail scales up the benefits trails have provided to communities for decades," said RTC President Ryan Chao.
“Whether it is to bridge gaps within and between communities, create safe access for walking and biking to jobs, transit, shopping and green spaces; or serve as recreation for cyclists, runners and explorers," they add.
If you want to know more about the project or contribute your grain of sand to make it a reality, you can do it here. And if you dare to start it, this is the interactive map they have created.
Your interactive map.