The TrailNation Summit

From the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Back in the fall of 2010, when my show was barely two months old, one of my guests was Keith Laughlin, the then executive director of the Rails to Trails Conservancy.

Over the years, I’ve followed up with the organization, but it’s been a while. A couple of weeks ago, I learned about a Rails to Trails Summit coming to Cleveland, and I was honored to be offered a press pass to attend.

Beginning yesterday, October 27^th and running through the 29th, Cleveland is the host for the Rails to Trails’ TrailNation Summit, the only conference dedicated to connecting the nation’s trail networks, a worthy cause if there ever was one!

Headquartered at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown, 400 attendees from 40 states came together to learn, share ideas, network with planners, advocates, and engineers, as well as have the opportunity to see a bit of our fair city and the progress we are making in connecting our network of paths and trails.

At a series that was billed as “World Cafe: Big Ideas, Fast Connections, Real Solutions, tables were set up in a ballroom, each having a “leader” to discuss any of a variety of topics for short discussions. When the bell rang, you picked another topic and went to that table. It was amazing what you could learn in just a few minutes. (Which lends a lot of credence to my theory that long meetings are pretty useless!)

While the topics ranged from sidewalks and connected bike paths to statistics and branding, there was a lot of discussion about the issues facing many of the projects that are either on the drawing board or, in some instances, in various states of being implemented.

Many project managers are finding that promised funding has dried up and are looking for other options to move forward – much of the promised money being clawed back by an administration that thinks bicyclists are hostile to cars and that more roads and bridges are where these funds need to go.

There was also a lot of discussion about how to talk differently about the work we are all doing – not using words such as diversity or equity – rather couching our asks in terms that highlight safety for children or making traffic move more smoothly.

There were conversation(s) and explanations about how Rails-to-Trails works including Railbanking and the impact of the “rails to trails landowner rights act,” and how to overcome objections from politicians and business owners.

The levels of expertise were absolutely astounding, and I doubt anyone who attended went home without a head full of ideas, solutions, and renewed enthusiasm for the work.

From a logistics perspective, I don’t think I’ve ever been to a better planned and executed Summit.

Look for upcoming podcast episodes that expand on many of the things I learned with some of the “smartest people in the room” on a variety of topics that fuel our desire for great places to ride and walk.

And kudos to Rails-to-Trails for bringing this event to my backyard!