NEW Safe Road & Trail Crossings
August 31, 2021
We’re taking action folks!
As many are aware, KT and the Burke Chamber, received a USDA Rural Business Development Grant to fund a Network Capacity Study that was completed this past Spring. Public engagement was a key component throughout the process and we were grateful to learn our community’s wants, concerns, and vision for KT’s future. The study determined that KT had sufficient capacity, but there were significant safety issues and imbalances in usage. Recommendations focused on safer traffic and pedestrian flow and dispersion of users. One specific strategy that we were excited to tackle right away is the Safe Road and Trail Crossings project.
The goal of the Safe Road and Trail Crossings project is improved safety for drivers and trail users where roads and trails intersect. Specific interventions will include tactile “rumble strips” to signal riders that they are approaching a road crossing, slow down and come to a complete stop. These rumble strips will not only promote rider and driver safety, but also help control erosion where the trail meets the road. There will also be signage that includes Stop Signs in advance of the road’s right of way, and adjacent “You Are Here” maps delineating crossing specifics and including emergency evacuation details. There vertical road signs will also be implemented to signal drivers that they are approaching a trail crossing.
KT was able to pursue this Capacity Study recommendation due to generous grant funding from Northern Forest Center’s Destination Development Initiative. The goal of this grant program is to improve outdoor recreation opportunities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It supports projects that help communities and organizations serve residents and visitors, plus invests in projects that enhance economic development and outdoor recreation in our region’s rural communities.
KTA is grateful to be taking action on this project that was suggested by our own community members. We are glad to be improving the safety where roads and trails intersect for drivers and trail users, community members and visitors. This project’s infrastructure, paired with the expanded KT Ambassador Program, will hold trail users accountable, monitor safe road and trail crossings, and promote engagement and education with the goals of creating a safer experience for those walking, biking, and driving, strengthening the economic impact across the region, as well as relieving pressure and stress on landowners, our host communities, and roads.
Dear KT Community, I write to you today as I begin a transition in my relationship with Kingdom Trails. I have made the difficult decision to take the next step in my professional journey and step away from my role as Executive Director. Serving Kingdom Trails and this incredible community over the past eight years has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am deeply proud of the work I’ve led and supported, from navigating immense global challenges and natural disasters, to forging incredible relationships, with our landowners and community. And throughout this journey, the Northeast Kingdom has become not just where I live, but truly my home. It’s the place I chose to become a mother and where my family has put down roots. That said, I am ready to explore new ways to serve this community, ways that will allow me to continue growing as a leader. I’ve accepted the role of Interim Executive Director for the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative, where I will carry forward the work I fell in love with through Kingdom Trails: strengthening our communities and supporting thoughtful economic development. In this new role, I’ll have the opportunity to advocate not only for outdoor recreation, which is so essential to the heart of our region, but also for the many sectors that make the Northeast Kingdom such a unique and vibrant place. Please know I remain deeply committed to Kingdom Trails. This is my home, and it will remain my home. I wish to always be an ambassador for KT, including playing a role in ensuring a graceful, responsible transition with care. The Board of Directors and I have committed to this, to ensure continuity, stability, and the trust you hold in this organization. I am grateful beyond words for the opportunity to have served my community through this role, and I look forward to closing this chapter with the same heart and good intention with which I began it. Georgia Gould is stepping in as interim Executive Director to lead the organization through this transition. Georgia has served on the KT Board of Directors since 2021, leading both the Landowner and Trail Advisory Committees. She is a KT Landowner with an impressive mountain biking and cyclocross resume - including a bronze medal in one of her two Olympic bids on Team USA and five career national championships in cross-country and short track mountain biking. Georgia, her husband Dusty, and their two young children are engaged members of the Burke community and the KT team. Her deep ties to the sport of cycling, dedication to providing great trails for all skill levels, and her love of this community make her the perfect choice to lead KT in its next phase. The Board and I are thrilled that Georgia has agreed to lead KT and feel confident that she will hold the mission of the organization at the center as she has throughout her Board service. You can reach Georgia directly and welcome her to this new role at ED@kingdomtrails.org . With deep gratitude, Abby ### Kingdom Trail Association The mission of the Kingdom Trail Association is to provide recreation and education opportunities by managing, maintaining, and building trails to foster the health of our community, surrounding environment, and regional economy. Kingdom Trails strives to accomplish this mission by offering a 100+ mile network of quality, non-motorized, multi-use trails for all levels of ability, incorporating the best of our local scenery and natural diversity. The Kingdom Trails are made possible through the generosity of 106 private landowners. Northeast Kingdom Collaborativ e The mission of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative is to improve the quality of life for all residents of the NEK through coordinated economic and community development as the vision is a strong, vibrant Northeast Kingdom where we all thrive. The NEKC brings people together to spark positive change in our communities, creating structures that bring partners together across service areas, sectors, municipal and political boundaries to provide solutions for the renewal of the Kingdom. The NEK Collaborative serves as the backbone organization for the federally designated NEK REAP Zone and community partner for USDA Rural Development.
Cannondale Dirt Party a Success
KT is taking action—on the trails and in the Statehouse!
This 2025 Legislative Session, KT is teaming up with other amazing trail organizations through the Vermont Trails & Greenway Council, to advocate for H.147 a bill to establish the Recreational Trails Compensation Study.
Why does this matter?
Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy generates $2.1B annually, nearly 5% of the state’s GDP, that's 2nd in the nation after Hawaii (Go VT!) KT alone drives $10M in economic impact annually. Therefore, the state must recognize and incentivize these generous private landowners, including the 106 who make KT possible and allow public access to trails.
