Access Nature Forum – Through discussion making the outdoors more inclusive

Join us for an insightful discussion by Tom Hennigan from the JORBA Trail Association. He will discuss how to provide access to native surface trails in the backcountry and adapt universal trail design principles to include a broad spectrum of trail users. He will also provide an introduction to adaptive mountain biking and discuss guidelines for building inclusive sustainable and accessible trails. His presentation includes recommendations for trail width, camber, turn radius, and grade to accommodate adaptive mountain bikes as well as considerations to balance accessibility, sustainability, and environmental impact when developing inclusive trails.

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We look forward to seeing you there!

Access Nature Forum Presentation by Tom Hennigan

Presenters Notes

Adaptive Mountain Bike Trails: A New Way to Explore Nature
About JORBA
- JORBA advocates for, builds and maintains sustainable trails to ride.
  - Most of the trails we make are multi use, usually hike, bike, occasionally horses. aMTB is easily accommodated
- Tom Hennigan, Executive Director JORBA
  - Personal interest in the outdoors, physical exercise and mental well being. Someone w/ disability should have the same freedom and opportunity to explore, recreate, as I do.
  - When people have meaningful experiences outdoors, their quality of life, health and social wellbeing improve, and in turn their communities become stronger and more sustainable.
  - Everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy time outdoors, because when people connect with nature we all benefit.
What JORBA did (for access)
- aMTB Trail-Stags
  - A joint project of NYNJTC & JORBA to legacy Hewitt Butler Trail from hiking to multiuse.
    - NY-NJ TC decided to include the mountain bike community
    - JORBA decided to include adaptive riders
  - I took an already approved existing project and I fixed an unsustainable section of trail and applied a universal trail design concept.
  - We started by applying sustainable trail concepts
    - There was a section that was too steep to be sustainable. While it was fine for the occasional hikers it was too steep to ride up and riding down something that steep would only increase erosion.
      - The grade is too steep. We need to make the grade sustainable.
        
        Armoring with steps doesn’t work w/ bikes
        
        Tight switchbacks suck for hiking leading to shortcutting which leads to even more erosion
        
        So we wanted to reduce the number of turns to avoid building separate lines for hiking and mountain biking.
      - Then we figured with just a little more work we could make the trail suitable for adaptive riders.
      - That is the crux of universal trail design.
What is aMTB
- Adaptive mountain biking allows riders with disabilities to access trails and experience the thrill of off-road riding. With specially designed bikes and trails, this exciting sport is becoming more accessible and inclusive every day.
Benefits of aMTB
- Same as all of us
- Provides opportunities for people with disabilities to enjoy the outdoors.
- Improves physical fitness, balance, and coordination.
- Boosts self-confidence and mental well-being.
Intro to aMTB
- Accessibility device for native surface trails¹
- There are a variety of adaptive mountain bikes available, each designed to meet different needs and often customized to suit individual riders’ abilities.
How is aMTB different from regular trails
- Native Surface
  - The world doesn’t need more asphalt
  - These are accessibility devices for native surface trails
- Features of an Adaptive Trail
  - Prime considerations for adaptive MTB’s
    - 3-wheeled aMTB are prone to tip over.
    - Riders sightlines are about 3′ off the tread.
  - Wide enough for adaptive MTB access. (40″-72″)
  - Smooth and stable surface.
  - No off camber obstacles
  - Minimum 20′-25′ turn radius
  - Maximum trail grade <20%
  - Bridges 48″-72″
- Clear signage and wayfinding markers. (3′ high)
Typical Adaptive Trail Width
- The majority of aMTB equipment requires a minimum 1.0m (40”) width for chokes and pinches and a minimum 1.2m (48”) tread width for general riding performance.
Typical Adaptive Trail Camber
- Off camber can be difficult for 3-wheeled aMTBs. Keep outslope at minimum for drainage.
  - All your trails are on a side hill, right?
Typical Adaptive Trail Turns Radius
- The ideal radius range for aMTB corners is 6-7.5m (20-25 ft) as berm size and trail speed increase, tighter radii can be achieved; and
- Any radius less than 4.6m (15ft) will require a higher level of rider ability and/or result in 2-point turns.
Accessible Native Surface Trails are Sustainable
- Features of an Sustainable Trail
  - Universal design is consistent with creating accessible trails and doing so sustainably. Examples include:
    - Paths that traverse along the side slope —
      - Trails should traverse side slopes instead of traveling down the fall line. The result is far less susceptibility to erosion and a more accessible path of travel.
      - Avoid flats
      - Avoid fall lines
    - Sustainable grades
      - Reducing running (linear) grades of trails decreases erosion as well as creating greater access for a broader range of users.
    - Erosion resistance
      - Firm and stable trail tread surfaces (as opposed to loose granular or soft soil surfaces) offer more sustainability as well as greater range of access for users.
    - Out-sloped tread
      - This practice encourages sheet flow of runoff at low velocities, away from the trail, rather than down the trail. Dryer, firmer trail treads provide comfortable, stable experiences for all people.
    - Frequent linear grade reversals
      - This minimizes erosion by slowing the velocity of water (and the materials it carries) along the trail, thereby increasing sustainability of the trail’s tread surface. Because linear grade reversals are meant to be gradual, they can easily accommodate the Outdoor Guidelines’ trail design parameters for accessibility.
    - Lower Maintenance Needs
      - Use rolling grade dips and grade reversals rather than water bars and check dams to control water and limit erosion of the trail tread. The former requires little if any maintenance, whereas the latter requires ongoing maintenance. In addition, many more people can navigate rolling grade dips and grade reversals as stepping over or around them is not necessary.
    - Positive User Experiences
      - Trail structures incorporated into the trail to protect natural resources (for example, boardwalks over wetlands) can also provide more inclusive access to a wider range of users, who would prefer to navigate over wet areas rather than through them.
Universal Design, Accessibility, and Sustainability Go Hand In Hand
Trail Planning and Design Process
- Inclusive trail design involves considering accessibility, safety, and enjoyment for all users.
- Collaborate with stakeholders and experts for best results.
Inclusive Considerations
- Land manager Considerations
  - Would making the trail more accessible make it detrimental environmentally?
  - Would making a trail more accessible to some make it less enjoyable to others?
  - Could it cause conflict?
  - If the trail were to be made accessible, how much more accessible would it be?
  - How much additional energy and money would it take to construct and maintain a trail that would be accessible to more people?
  - Does the organization have the capacity to bear the additional expense?
  - Are there new financial resources that can be tapped to provide this accessibility?
Stags Inclusive Considerations-Practical application
- Hikers included mountain bikers. Mountain bikers included adaptive riders.
- Seeing as Stags would require a new section of trail to be built, with consideration of the concerns of our hiking partners we endeavored to reduce the number of turns to avoid building separate lines for hiking and mountain biking. By reducing the number of turns, with just a little more work we could make the trail suitable for adaptive riders.
- When building the new section of Stags, we balanced the needs of hikers with those of the adaptive riders. By reducing the number of turns, we made the trail enjoyable for both.
  - While it was fine for the occasional hikers it was too steep to ride.
  - Steps don’t work for bikes
  - Switchbacks aren’t good for hikers
  - Turns cost money
What can you do to include a broader spectrum of users?
- Ensure sustainability
  - All trails, whether designed for pedestrians only or for multiple types of use—ought to share a common goal: to provide recreational opportunities to the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
- Consider inclusive design
  - Every trail should accommodate the needs of as many people as possible today and in the future.
- Make it easier
  - Trail Difficulty
  - When we talk about inclusive design and accessibility it’s about accommodating as many people as possible.
    - It can be a an adaptive rider, a wheelchair user, a parent pushing a stroller or an elderly
  - Establishing a baseline for an “easy” trail that fully meets accessibility to be independently used by people with a variety of disabilities.
  - Make shorter loops close to the trail head
  - Make the surface smooth and firm
Hire a professional trail builder

Resources

https://kootenayadaptive.com/adaptive-mountain-biking-trail-standards/
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JORBA