But what are “trail gaps,” anyway? And how are the “Top 10” determined?
In 2018, a group of trail organizations and DCNR staff developed new trail gap criteria that more clearly define which projects are deemed Priority Trail Gaps. To be considered a priority, the gap must:
- Be along a Major Greenway or Regionally Significant Trail, with the trail itself formalized in an official planning document
- Connect two existing segments of trail or connect an existing trail to a state park, state forest, or key community
- Be five miles or less in length
Trail managers were then asked to supply data for the gaps in their trail systems.
In total, the gaps represent 200 miles of trail and 62 bridge projects.
The Top 10 gaps have a stricter set of criteria, such as requiring major infrastructure and multi-agency coordination. But the payoff for completing these gaps is significant, as these gaps typically connect many miles of trails together.
The Martic Forge Trestle Bridge, for example, opened a continuous 20-mile stretch of the Enola Low Grade Trail in Lancaster County.
DCNR provides additional consideration to grant requests for trail projects that address Priority Trail Gaps.
As a result, between 2009 and 2018, DCNR grants helped close 46 of these gaps.
Why focus on trail gaps? Pennsylvania’s Trail Network Strategic Plan (PDF) calls out the need to “Close Priority Trail Gaps in Pennsylvania’s statewide land and water trail network with the overall goal of having a trail within 10 minutes of every Pennsylvanian.”
The idea is not just to build trails, but to build a network of trails that connect to one another. Identifying, prioritizing, and closing trail gaps is believed to be the most effective method for improving those connections.
