Office of Trails – Statewide Trails Plan
We are currently working on revising our Statewide Trails Plan. The last plan was completed in 2005. It can be viewed at Ohio Trails Plan .
The purpose of the Statewide Trails Plan is to present a pathway for a systematic and coordinated development of a statewide trail system. Through extensive input from land managers and the general public, the plan will identify the needs, issues, and priority trails within each region. This information will be utilized in our criteria for providing Recreational Trails and Clean Ohio Trails Fund grants.
With the assistance of the Statewide Trails Plan Steering Committee, we are convinced that this plan revision will provide a blueprint for the development of a statewide trails system as well as new opportunities for the Office of Trails to improve the process of developing and maintaining trails.
In conjunction with the non-motorized trails plan, we will also develop a motorized trails plan. Ohio is one of the top 10 states in the country for the purchase of all-purpose vehicles (APVs). The motorized community has had a continued need for motorized trails in the State of Ohio that is evident. Through the motorized trails plan we will identify the issues and needs of motorized users through extensive input from land managers and users. The plan will provide a vision for the next 3-5 ye ars for the Office of Trails to address those issues and needs.
The timeline for the completion of the both trails plans is as follows:
Items completed -
September - October 2008
Fourteen regional meetings were held throughout the state to discuss non-motorized trails.
March 2009
Five public input meetings were held for motorized trails at various locations in the state.
Items to be completed -
June - July
- Develop a comprehensive database of non-motorized trails within the state by asking land managers to complete paperwork for us to input into our database.
- Finalize development of land managers’ survey, general public survey for non-motorized trails, and a motorized users’ survey.
- The land managers’ survey will be administered.
- Administer the general public survey for non-motorized trails and the motorized users’ survey.
- Begin development on reports of the results of all three surveys.
- Analyze raw data, determine any trends or important findings.
- Update background information and perform research.
- Begin writing sections of the first draft of both trail plans.
- Begin development of the web based trail mapping.
July - August
- Complete analysis of data and produce reports of all three survey results.
- Complete the writing of the first draft of both trail plans.
- Continue development of the web based trail mapping.
- Place drafts of completed segments online for review.
August - September
- Provide the general public access on the web to the first draft of both trail plans for comment with a 30 day limit.
- Make edits/improvements to both trails plans for the final drafts.
- The final draft of each trails plan will undergo final review.
- Print each of the trails plans and develop CDs of the trails plans.
- Complete the development of the draft version of the web based trail mapping for review.
- Make improvements to the draft version of the web based trail mapping and have the final version go live.
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