Active Transportation Routes Using Canal Corridors: Decision Tools in Creating Successful Canal Trail Projects
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 148, Issue 3
Abstract
There is an increasing need for active transportation infrastructure throughout the United States, especially in rapidly developing urban areas. In places with current and historical agricultural developments, such as in the Intermountain West, canal corridors offer ideal locations for siting shared-use paths because they are linear, flat, and have an interlaced presence within communities. The purpose of this study is to summarize the challenges of establishing canal trails and provide valuable insights and tools that can be used to resolve those challenges, using Utah as an example. To accomplish this, the study applied qualitative methods by reviewing various case studies of past canal trail projects and interviewing stakeholders for future projects. The study found that land ownership, maintenance, safety, liability, funding, and privacy are the main concerns of stakeholders involved in canal trail projects. Each of these concerns are discussed in detail including common solutions to overcome them. The main tools used in successful projects include long-term planning, stakeholder collaboration, iterative design, and active public involvement. The study also provides insights on canal trail design, including trail widths, trail types, and possible corridor cross sections.
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Acknowledgments
This work is supported in part by the Utah Department of Transportation (Research Project 20.505). The authors alone are responsible for the preparation and accuracy of the information, data, analysis, discussions, recommendations, and conclusions presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, endorsements, or policies of the Utah Department of Transportation or the US Department of Transportation. The Utah Department of Transportation makes no representation or warranty of any kind, and assumes no liability therefore.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 148 • Issue 3 • September 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 13, 2021
Accepted: Mar 2, 2022
Published online: May 12, 2022
Published in print: Sep 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Oct 12, 2022
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