About North Carolina Rail-Trails

As revised 5/5/2009

HISTORY ~ North Carolina Rail-Trails began as a steering committee June 3, 1988, at the North Carolina Greenways Conference in Charlotte, was incorporated March 12, 1990, and received IRS 501(c)(3) status Dec. 30, 1990. The corporate address is PO Box 61348, Durham, NC 27715-1348.


Protecting Rail Corridors for Trails and Rails with Trail Use

NCRT is a charter member of Earth Share of North Carolina (formerly Environmental Federation of North Carolina), the North Carolina Environmental Network and the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits. Bailey & Dixon of Raleigh represents NCRT's legal interests and assists legislative development.

PURPOSE ~ NCRT monitors the state's rail system, actively pursues corridor preservation, retrieval and conversion to public trails. NCRT fosters local leadership and currently supports local rail-trail initiatives throughout the state. NCRT provides coordination between local, state and federal agencies, allied state and national organizations, and project funding sources. A primary instrument in this networking is the NCRT newsletter, "Little Toot," which has been published quarterly since 1989.

The Board of Directors meets quarterly throughout the state at project locations. The members of the Board represent bicycling, hiking, equestrian, historic, conservation, preservation and economic development interests.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES ~

    1. Establish regional demonstration rail-trails of state significance.

    2. Obtain favorable rail corridor preservation and interim trail legislation.

    3. Assist multiple local rail-trail corridor initiatives throughout North Carolina.

    4. Foster a statewide network of non-motorized commuting and recreation trails.

Bailey & Dixon assisted in forming the NC Rail-Trails Plenary Committee, which during 1994-95 conducted an intensive study of state legal and administrative hurdles that inhibit rail corridor preservation. More than 25 railroad executives, private and public attorneys, deputy state secretaries, state administrators and departmental policy advisors participated in the review.

OPERATIONS ~ NCRT is a volunteer organization supported by dues, gifts and grants. It has received Adopt-a-Trail project grants from the NC Division of Parks and Recreation, operational grants from the Mary Duke Biddle and the Bryan Family foundations, and a rural economic development grant from the North Carolina Rural Center. NCRT also has served as project coordinator for two Rural Tourism Development Grant Programs funded by the NC Travel and Tourism Division.

Since 2002 NCRT played a significant role in establishing these regionally significant rail-trails:
  • Dunn-Erwin Rail-Trail (Harnett County) - completed Spring 2002
  • Thermal Belt Rail-Trail (Rutherford County) - completed Summer 2002
  • Brevard Bike Path (Transylvania County) - started 2007, portions are open
  • Jacksonville-Camp LeJeune Rails-to-Trails Greenway (Onslow County) - completed Summer 2008
  • Gastonia Highlands Trail (Gaston County) - ongoing, estimated opening Winter 2009
  • American Tobacco Trail (Durham, Chatham, Wake Counties) - ongoing, estimated completion 2010

A public contact and project coordination office is maintained by volunteers at Durham.

MEETINGS ~ NCRT's Board of Directors meets quarterly at various locations throughout North Carolina. The Annual Meeting of the BOD is scheduled for Saturday October 11th, 2009 @ 10:30am in the Woodcroft Community Room, 5501 Fortunes Ridge Drive, Durham, NC 27713. It is on the American Tobacco Trail - NS- Durham and South Carolina. Our next meeting will be Saturday July 11, 2009 (10:30am) at the Tom Sykes Recreation Center, 1501 Euclid Avenue, Charlotte 28203 (Near Dilworth Elementary/Latta Park, 2 blocks from South Blvd.) Link to map

You can support the creation of rail-trails in North Carolina by joining NCRT.

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