Discover the East Coast Greenway

Transcription

1 Western New England Greenway Annual Meeting: Connecting & Branding Discover the East Coast Greenway REI Soho, NYC, June 6, 2017

2 We connect people to places, Maine to Florida At 3,000 miles, the East Coast Greenway is becoming the longest protected biking and walking path in the United States.

3 26 years of nonprofit advocacy Nationally recognized with experienced staff of12 Empowers low-cost, sustainable transportation and safe, accessible, point-to-point routes Fosters active, healthy lifestyles Route is now more than 32% off-road

4 A Multi-Use Facility for Everyone Why? An integral part of transportation policy Provide active transportation opportunities Recreational facilities, or linear parks The healthy option Provide pollution and noise abatement Fantastic community amenities Foster tourism & economic development

5 East Coast Greenway by the numbers:

6 Grateful Thanks to Friends Our nonprofit Alliance s work is made possible through the generous support of foundations, corporations, event sponsors, individual donors, and our members. Volunteers (like the crew, above, from REI, a long-time sponsor) help lead active events, hold clean-up days, and more.

7 How Do We Do It? The Process: 3 Components to Success A: Community Support Strong Local Advocacy Elected Officials+Staff Buy-in B: This Draws Attention and Allows for Attracting Design $$ - When Designed You Have a Fundable Project, Get in Line for $$ (DOT, DEP, MPO s)

8 200 miles 50% complete 100% signed

9 $19M/Yr. for trails from CTDOT with preference for the ECG spine. 20 designated projects in CT through of those are slated for $67 million including Plainville, which is estimated at $16M

10 Merritt Parkway Multi-Use Trail Feasibility Study

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12 Challenges $250 Million for 37.5 miles Maintenance Environmental impacts Preservation of Parkway s scenic and historic character Maintaining the character of neighborhoods ADA design? Road/ramp crossings

13 Opportunities Non-motorized transportation alternative for communities Alternate way to experience and appreciate the Merritt Parkway Health benefits Tourism/economic benefits Education East-west connection to north-south trails WNEG!

14 Drawing Attention Drawing Together Separate Brands: MERRITT PARKWAY TRAIL ALLIANCE EAST COAST GREENWAY NORWALK RIVER VALLEY TRAIL STILL RIVER GREENWAY NEW MILFORD RIVER TRAIL HOU BIKE WALK TRAIL ASHUWILLTICOOK RAIL TRAIL LAKE CHAMPLAIN BIKEWAY BURLINGTON BIKE PATH ISLAND LINE TRAIL LA ROUTE VERTE

15 Why Do We Do It? Branding is critical to our success Fundraising Membership Partnerships Need a comprehensive branding campaign, to increase trail use, boost brand awareness, and highlight the importance of the WNEG's ongoing effort to connect its trails. Goals: miles of signage?

16 How Do We Do It? We must recognize, nurture and partner with the groups building the trail in their communities Our signs must be front and center, yet should not upstage partners We must make deals with DOT s, particularly on maintenance

17 Signage Basics The Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices: Regulatory signs give notice of traffic regulations. These include BICYCLES MAY USE FULL LANE or a STOP sign on a shared-use path. Warning signs give notice of conditions and are typically on yellow diamond-shaped backgrounds. These include stop ahead or path narrows signs. Guide signs show route designations, destinations, directions, distances, services, points of interest, and other geographical, recreational, or cultural information. Typically for route identification.

18 Signage for the WNEG The primary purposes of signing the WNEG are to establish a unique brand, to inform users that they are on the WNEG, and to identify route direction changes, enabling proper wayfinding. As much is still on road, providing good route signage is crucial to guiding users Signs also serve to raise public awareness of the WNEG by identifying a given local trail segment as part of it. Frequent posting of the route sign helps to develop public awareness of the brand. Maximize their presence along the route, while avoiding visual clutter ( sign pollution ).

19 ECGA Standard: 15 x 5.5 Aluminum Reflective UV Resist The best option at trailheads + Wayfinding Distinctive

20 ECGA Standard: 5x5 Directional Arrows Black Outline for Visibility

21 MUTCD M1-8a: Demanded by 3 of 15 states

22 Co-Branding Alternatives May be the only option in certain Areas Making deals with a variety of agencies

23 Wayfinding Economic Destinations Safety Blackstone River Trail in RI

24 Union County Parks NJ Billboard

25 EAST COAST GREENWAY SIGNAGE PROPOSAL / SOUTHINGTON CT south to north LOCATION northbound sign southbound sign Peck rail-trail utility pole before pkg area, with R turn arroon trail gate at parking lot, with diagonal R arrow or right then straight arrow all trail road crossings I will provide signs for these crossings as the town would like. Doesn t seem like Kane/Hart/Curtiss on back of no motor vehicles post, with R turn arrow on pole with Curtiss St & Kane St name blades facing east with L turn arrow Curtiss Rt 10 on turn arrows signpost with L turn arrow already in place Rt 10@ Flanders St already in place light ahead signpost, with up-then-left arrow Flanders Flanders Rd pole with street name blades with L arrow intersection ahead signpost (yellow diamond west of intersection) with up-then-r arrow Flanders Shuttle Meadow on turn arrow signpost, with L turn arrow Rd Shuttle Meadow Dunham St utility poles? There are two: one at W of intersection and one at E of intersection. R turn arrow needed street name blades pole, with R turn arrow utility west of intersection, with L turn arrow Each town is approached with a signage plan

26 Date First Last Company Work Phone Memo Kevin Burnham Hartford DPW (860) COMPLETE 1/24/2013 Captain Paul Hammick Bloomfield Police Department COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Town Manager Kathleen Eagen Farmington Town Hall COMPLETE 1/24/2013 Police Chief Peter Ingvertsen Simsbury Police Department COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Town Manager Robert Lee Plainville Municipal Center x201 COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Police Chief John Daly Southington Police Department COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Lt. Brian Pichnarcik Cheshire Police Department COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Police Chief Thomas Wydra Hamden Police Department COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Mr. James Travers City of New Haven COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Sergeant William Cole West Haven Police Department Sgt. Cole making 2/14/2013 Sergeant Todd Richards Milford Police Department in process 1/17/2013 Lieutenant Frank Eannotti Stratford Police Department COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Mr. Jon Urquidi City of Bridgeport COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Police Chief Gary MacNamara Fairfield Police Department COMPLETE 1/25/2013 First Selectman Gordon Joseloff Town of Westport COMPLETE 1/30/2013 Mr. Harold Alvord City of Norwalk COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Lieutenant Donald Anderson Darien Police Department COMPLETE 2/14/2013 Mr. Mani Poola City of Stamford COMPLETE 2/21/2014 Mr. Peter Tesei Town of Greenwich COMPLETE Each town has a contact

27 Sign Maintenance Report Date: Submitted By: Street Location: Intersection Street & Direction (North or Southbound) Municipality Status: Missing, Defaced, Colors fading, needs new hardware, etc. Post (y/n?). If yes, describe location Notes Yearly volunteer maintenance surveys Users are urged to report missing signs

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30 Other Ideas: Swag Ambassador Program Awards to Local Leaders Newsletter Annual Report Sponsor Rides Trailside Tables Maps

31 ECGA Trip Planner Ready to explore the Greenway? Sign in to our Trip Planner: Design your custom East Coast Greenway itinerary. Visit our state pages to find local trail guides and organized outings. Then, let us know about your trip. Write to us and tag us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

32 Chairman Questions? R. Bruce Donald, APBP Tri-State Greenway Coordinator East Coast Greenway Alliance