A Massachusetts Trailmap?
Opportunities for Regional Collaboration
A Presentation for MARPA
1/21/2022
What is Trailmap?
Trailmap is MAPC's dataset of current and proposed footpaths, shared-use paths, and on-road bicycle facilities; and the website where that dataset is published for public use. Development of has been funded through UPWP and foundation funding.
trailmap.mapc.org
Current Trailmap Goals
Resource for advocates to coordinate expansion of trails and paths in MA
Comprehensive and up-to-date dataset of all trails and paths in MA
A resource for residents to plan trips and activities on MA trails and paths
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Not Currently Trailmap Goals
A resource for tracking trips and personal progress
A resource to share stories about outdoor activity on trails or paths
Best resource for planning outdoor trips and activities on trails and paths
Trail mapping in other regions
All Massachusetts RPAs manage their own datasets of trails and facilities in their region. A statewide compilation of these datasets has been a long-running goal.
Maintaining this data can be laborious and expensive, especially when we have to recreate data that already exists but is unavailable (e.g. land trust or municipal data.)
RPAs have previously discussed data standards, but have not been formalized. Technical infrastructure and protocols for merging and updating datasets has not yet been developed.
MassDOT maintains roadway inventory of which includes bike lanes on roads, and shared use paths; however their purview does not extend to off-road natural surface trails or urban parks
MassGIS publishes data relevant to trail mapping, but has not been funded to develop statewide trail data.
Recent Developments
Conine Family Foundation approached MAPC to offer us funding to improve the Trailmap website experience. MAPC has since meet with other states to learn about their trail management models and websites.
DCR Rec Trails Program encouraged MAPC to coordinate an application to support a statewide trail database. Program had been hesitant to fund individual RPAs and indicated a preference for a coordinated effort
Fall 2021
Dec 2021
Jan 2022
MAPC convened meeting with GIS and Planning staff from other RPAs to discuss the opportunity of a statewide effort and application to DCR for funding.
Potential Joint Activities
- Formalization of data standards
- Development of shared editing / data management infrastructure
- Engagement of stakeholders to unlock more private & municipal datasets
- Joint fundraising to support additional RPA data creation, policy, and advocacy efforts
- Rebranding & expansion of Trailmap website to cover all of Massachusetts
- Development of additional Trailmap features
DCR Funding Opportunity
RPA involvement will require staff resources. DCR Trails grant can be shared with the other RPAs to support their role in this effort. Is this of interest?
Various governance & management options are available for a shared data infrastructure and dataset, ranging from an "advisory committee" option to a more formal consortium structure with shared investments. What works best for RPAs?
If there are concerns about MAPC having a leading role in data management, what other alternatives should be on the table?
What level of effort are RPAs willing to put in to data updates and management going forward?
Key Questions
With foundation funding secured for 2022-24,
MAPC plans to upgrade site features
Let's look at some new features that could help achieve our goals.
Tooltip & Trail Page Info
Provide more than trail location data. Interfaces that allow for users to connect with trail activities, trail managers, planning and related events.
Support & Supplemental Pages
Help connect partners, provide more information about trails and paths to empower their expansion.
Filters & Search
Provide ability to find trails and paths by desired activity or difficulty.
Map Markers & Trail Display
Improve visualization and interactivity of map
User Accounts & Input
Enable an interactive experience for users to track, save, comment, and suggest.
Title Text
Blue = Predicted route to school bike/walk commutes
School Commute Infrastructure Planning
Comprehensive Plans
Integrations for Planning
Enable the data to be used in planning and advocacy work.
Network Analyisis
Integrations for Third Parties
If open, standard, and available, additional parties can leverage the data to reach the residents and help them plan outdoor trips and activities
All of these features rely on an underlying infrastructure of people, process, & data.
We believe together we can make a better and more sustainable process.
Together we can solve how we manage a community, standardize data, and enable different features of uses.
Dataset
Standards and open availability will help the dataset grow. Leveraging tools that help lower maintenance cost and broaden the community.
No one site will have all features for all users, we can prioritize the needs of users and add features to an application that meet those needs.
Features
Community
Like a houseplant, for a web service to survive it needs to be cared for.
RPAs can together identify the organizational structure that works best for us all to achieve a comprehensive and up-to-date dataset while sharing and minimizing overall maintenance efforts.
The forthcoming Department of Conservation and Recreation funding provides us an opportunity to work together to solve these challenges.
Building on the work all RPAs havealready done to date.
Features
Dataset
Community
Users Decide
What Features
Are Included
Application Needs
Features
Dataset
Community
Like a houseplant...
web services survive when cared for
Community Data Collection & Entry
Considered Earth's most valuable resource
it's all about the data
Data Maintenance & Sharing
There are many improvements to Trailmap, that could help make progress towards achieving the application's goals
Prioritizing those improvements... What are the priority needs?
Framework of Needs
Build the Community
Grow and open the dataset
Add Features for Users
Standards and availability will help dataset grow
Like a houseplant to survive it needs to be watered, in this case, we in GIS data (Regional planning?) world can share that responsibility and keep dynamic
While no site will have all features for all users, we can prioritize needs of users and add features to Trailmap that meet those needs.
Community Data Collection & Entry
Data Maintenance & Sharing
Data Display
Add Features for Users
No site will have all features for all users, we can prioritize the needs of users and add features to an application that meet those needs.
Grow and open the dataset
Standards and open availability will help the dataset grow. Leveraging tools that help lower maintenance cost and broaden the community.
Build the Community
Like a houseplant to survive it needs to be watered. Regional Planning Agencies together can play a critical role in achieving a comprehensive and up-to-date dataset
Framework
Features
Current MAPC Data Collection & Entry
Current MAPC Data Management
Features