Earlier this month at NRMCA's ConcreteWorks, attendees had a chance to learn about the opportunities in concrete recreational trails with a session based on the newly released Guide to Concrete Trails. This RMC Research & Education Foundation funded guide, written by the same team of experts at the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CPTech) that brought you the Guide to Concrete Overlays of Asphalt Parking Lots, walks the reader through the process of recreational trails, from the beginning stages of planning to the ownership stages of maintenance, with stop along the way that include funding, environmental, design types, ADA compliance, trail widths and thickness, construction and even how to renovate a worn out asphalt trail with a concrete overlay. Written with all stakeholders in mind, the Guide to Concrete Trails is the first document of its kind that specifically address recreational trail construction using concrete.
A PDF version of the guide is available for download from the foundation’s website and from the PaveAhead website under the Resources tab.
An initial run of printed copies will be ordered in the next week. Based on the number of copies ordered, the cost per copy will be the lowest ever offered in this initial order, estimated to be around $6 per copy. If you would like professionally printed and bound copies in this initial printing, contact Jon Hansen who will collect total number of copies and source the best price available for the initial printing. He will also contact you before ordering to confirm your quantity and final cost per copy. Additional copies after the initial printing will likely be on demand and carry a much higher cost per copy.
And to complement the guide, NRMCA has also introduced three new pieces of promotional collateral. “With over 300 million dollars of grant money available for the development of trails and walking paths, there is a fantastic opportunity for concrete to capitalize on another target market segment” noted NRMCA Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Phil Kresge.
“The guide provides excellent design, construction and maintenance guidance,” added Kresge. “But unfortunately, few design professionals know that it exists or that concrete pavement is even an option. This new collateral material serves as an ice breaker for the ready mix industry to grab the attention of the design community.”
The one-page Concrete Trails Overview highlights the benefits of concrete trails, including initial cost, ease of construction, durability and life cycle value. The two Concrete Results Case Studies, featuring the Dam West Home Owners Association and the Wingate South Park Trail projects in Colorado, supplement the overview piece. These new publications are also available from the PaveAhead Resource link mentioned above.
To place your order contact Jon Hansen at jhansen@nrmca.org. For more information, contact Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org or Jon Hansen.
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association