From Rails to Trails on PBS, narrated by Edward Norton, explores the social movement to transform thousands of miles of abandoned railroads into public trails for cycling and walking. This effort has led to the creation of a national network of scenic, car-free paths, including many in our own region.
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The PBS documentary highlights several key moments and organizations that have been instrumental in the rails-to-trails movement:
- The Burke Gilman Trail: The video explains the role of this iconic Seattle trail.
- The Sammamish River Trail: The documentary covers this trail and the legal battles over private reversionary property rights.
- The Railbanking Law: This crucial piece of legislation, which allowed for the creation of the Sammamish River Trail, is also covered in the video.
- The Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition: This coalition was formed to save a Northern Pacific line for a trail, which is now the Foothills Trail.
- ForeverGreenTrails: This is a coalition of Pierce County jurisdictions and non-profits, including the Tacoma Washington Bicycle Club and the Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition. Its purpose is to coordinate with different jurisdictions to create more connected trails.
The Tacoma Washington Bicycle Club is a proud supporter of both the Foothills Rails to Trails Coalition and ForeverGreenTrails.
You can watch the full From Rails to Trails video on the PBS website.