Wheels and Legs: Reducing Nonmotorized Trails Conflicts Webinar

This webinar will provide perspectives and an assessment of the issue of conflicts and potential solutions when dealing with nonmotorized trails.

Presented by:

• Dennis Benson, Recreation Program Manager, Deschutes National Forest, USDA Forest Service
• Ryan Ojero, Southwest Regional Manager, Washington Trails Association
• Deonne Vanderwoude, Human Dimensions Supervisor, City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks
• Curt Kruger, Co-Founder and Current Director, Trail Partners
• Robert (Bob) Searns, Owner, Robert Searns and Associates, Inc.

“Share-the trail” has been a mantra for decades. In many cases, particularly for urban trails and greenways, the shared use (multiple uses) concept has offered an efficient and affordable way to build and manage trails. However, with the explosive growth of trail visitation and the growth the types of uses, the question of conflicts among users, has arisen—particularly between mechanized (bikes) and foot (including people with mobility devices) traffic.

In addition to the more traditional modes of hiking and bicycling, we now have trail running, single-track biking, snow biking, e-biking, horseback riding, long distance trekking, people with mobility aides, long boarding, skating, pack animal trips, and other emerging modes not even dreamed up yet. And, with increasingly sophisticated technology, bikes can now access and negotiate many trails that were once the domain of foot and horse traffic only. We also now need to consider an expanding range of visitor experience objectives including: finding solace, family outings, group meet ups, fast riders, slow riders, riding challenge courses, races, getting fit, escaping, spiritual healing, and more. Each has its character and each has its unique user objectives.

Considering both “back country” and urban trails, what are some of the emerging potential conflicts types and trends and how do they affect the trail experience, safety and resource sustainability? Is it a problem? And, if so, how significant is it? Are we at a tipping point where we need to rethink shared use? What are the characteristics of the most common and disruptive conflicts? What are the perceptions of the different types of trail users? And, what are trail managers’ perspectives? Are there practical solutions?

This presentation will benefit all levels of expertise and roles from trail users, to planners and designers, to managers. The goal is to provide perspectives, an assessment of the issue of conflicts and potential solutions when dealing with nonmotorized trails.

Following the presentation, the panelist will respond to questions from webinar participants.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and examine the growing array of trail use types and user trends and the user conflicts they potentially create.
• Formulate a balanced perspective on the characteristics and extent of conflicts now and likely in the future.
• Reveal and evaluate state-of-the-art in design and management solutions currently being implemented to reduce conflicts with illustrative visual examples and case studies.
• Identify new potential solutions with illustrative visual examples and case studies.