Coastal Plain Regional Meeting James Sprunt Community College March 16, :00pm-7:00pm

Meeting Purpose Explore the range of potential outcomes for a proposed trail or trails in the Southern Coastal Plain.

Presentation Agenda  The NC Trails System  The trail planning and design process  Alternative trail visions for the Southern Coastal Plain  Next steps

North Carolina Trails System

From Trail Vision to Opening

What is the trail vision for the Southern Coastal Plain? Trail and Planning Alternatives 1.East Coast Greenway 2.Coastal Crescent Trail 3.New regional trail planning effort 4.Focus on county-level planning 5.Focus on community-level planning

What is the trail vision for the Southern Coastal Plain? Trail and Planning Alternatives 1.East Coast Greenway 2.Coastal Crescent Trail 3.New regional trail planning effort 4.Focus on county-level planning 5.Focus on community-level planning

What is the ECG…  Trail linking 25 major cities along the eastern seaboard  Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida  “Urban Appalachian Trail” or “Interstate Trail Network”  Through areas where 30 million people live and work  2,900 miles of trails  Ultimate goal to be mostly off- road trails

ECG Vision Low conflicts with other transportation modes Firm surface suitable for road bicycles and wheel chairs Friendly grades Plenty of amenities Historic and cultural sites Works in tandem with public transportation

North Carolina Routes

NC-ECG Process  NC State Committee Composition  17 MPOs and RPOs  Advisory Seats - NCDOT & NC State Parks  Grassroots Trail Advocates  All meetings open to the public  Committee Responsibilities  Approve Overall Route  Permanent off-road trails  Temporary on-road routing  Recommend Formal Designations  ONLY off-road trail suitable for wheeled, muscle powered vehicles  Formal submittal and review process, requires documentation that trails meet standards  National ECG Alliance Approves Designations

Coastal Crescent Trail Vision

Source FMST website – dated February 7, 2015

What is the trail vision for the Southern Coastal Plain? Trail and Planning Alternatives 1.East Coast Greenway 2.Coastal Crescent Trail 3.New regional trail planning effort 4.Focus on county-level planning 5.Focus on community-level planning

New Regional Trail Planning Effort

Example: Carolina Thread Trail Plan

Lumber River Council of Governments Mid-Carolina Council of Governments Cape Fear Council of Governments Eastern Carolina Council of Governments New Regional Trail Planning Effort

Focus on a County-Level Plan

1 Dot = 500 (2010 population) County Line Municipal Boundaries Focus on a Community-Level Plan

Emily B. Taylor Greenway Ararat River Greenway

Next Steps  Station #1: Sign-in  Station #2: Presentation  Station #3: Trail Vision  Station #4: Advantages/Disadvantages of Alternatives  Station #5: Other Ideas  Station #6: Choose an Alternative  Station #7: Comment Forms

Thank you! Shannon Cox Planning Communities Karen Creech NC Division of Parks and Recreation