The Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy (formally the Allegheny Trail Alliance) and Fourth Economy (an economic development consulting firm) deserve a standing ovation for their just released Economic Impact Report on the Great Allegheny Passage. If you are interested in outdoor recreation, environmentally sustainable development and Trail Towns, I suggest you dig into their Impact Report. I have seen thousands of … Continue reading
Economic Research
2021 GAP Annual Economic Impact Report
The Progress Fund is pleased to share the most recent study on economic impact along the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP). According to Bryan Perry of Fourth Economy, “Tourism along the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage drove over $121 million in economic impact in 2019, according to a year-long analysis by Pittsburgh-based consulting firm Fourth Economy released on November 30, 2021. Fourth Economy conducted 64 interviews … Continue reading
Here are all the secrets to our $50M Trail Town success.
That’s right— all our secrets, for free. We were the first to put the Trail Town ideas into action… so we learned a lot. But we also proved that trails can drive local economies. The Great Allegheny Passage is boasting a massive $50 million impact this year. Now, we’re sharing everything we learned so other trailside communities can follow our … Continue reading
Few more volunteers needed – Trail Counts
Last year two synchronized trail counts took place at popular trail access areas on the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail. Volunteers were located at trailheads between Titusville and Foxburg to measure trail traffic and collect zip code data from cyclists. Last year, volunteers tracked visitors from across western PA as well as the Cleveland and Akron areas and both North and … Continue reading
2015 Trail Surveys Show Growing Interest in Outdoor Recreation and Trail Amenities
In 2015, the Trail Town Program® conducted two surveys to collect data from trail users. The General Trail User Survey took a broad approach and looked at trail users across the country. Trail construction has been increasing across the United States. With millions of users utilizing these trails, they have the potential to generate significant economic impact in communities and … Continue reading