(a)Subject to an appropriation made by the Legislature for the purposes of implementing the project, the council, as empowered by the corporation, may contract with an organization who may act as the developer for purposes of this article.
(b)Subject to approval by the council, the developer may do all of the following:
(1)Develop, in coordination with state, public, and private entities, a master plan for a network of greenway trails throughout the state that shall be known as the Sweet Trails Alabama Project.
(2)Perform any feasibility studies or other preparatory work as may be necessary to develop the master plan.
(c)Any master plan approved by the council shall consider all of the following goals:
(1)To aid in establishing and maintaining an innovation ecosystem in the state.
(2
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(a) Subject to an appropriation made by the Legislature for the purposes of implementing the project, the council, as empowered by the corporation, may contract with an organization who may act as the developer for purposes of this article.
(b) Subject to approval by the council, the developer may do all of the following:
(1) Develop, in coordination with state, public, and private entities, a master plan for a network of greenway trails throughout the state that shall be known as the Sweet Trails Alabama Project.
(2) Perform any feasibility studies or other preparatory work as may be necessary to develop the master plan.
(c) Any master plan approved by the council shall consider all of the following goals:
(1) To aid in establishing and maintaining an innovation ecosystem in the state.
(2) To provide access and economic impacts that are inclusive and reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity of the state.
(3) To take advantage of all available state and federal funding programs for trail development and enhancement.
(d) Unless otherwise provided by law, any grants from the funds created by Section 41-10-866 utilizing state appropriations are deemed to have the following priority:
(1) In the first phase, funding shall support a strategic trail network of north-south and east-west greenway trails including sections in at least half of the state’s counties.
(2) In the second phase, funding shall support extensions of the network into every county in the state.
(3) In the final phase, funding shall support ongoing maintenance of the network and coordination with local communities to establish additional trail points connecting the network to other outdoor recreation assets.
(e) The project may consider the following goals:
(1) Connect all 67 counties and all key locations throughout the state.
(2) Increase opportunities for outdoor recreation and physical activity.
(3) Foster interconnectivity between urban and rural areas.
(4) Provide alternative transportation options to help integrate recreation into work, education, and daily life.
(5) Offer accessibility for people of different abilities, ages, and backgrounds.
(6) Create opportunities for tourism and economic development.
(7) Capitalize on local, regional, public, and private partnerships.
(8) Promote conservation through education and public awareness.
(9) Capitalize on all existing trails, trail networks, and trail initiatives in the state.
(f) The project may incorporate the following design principles:
(1) Cohesion. The project shall incorporate branding, signage, and wayfinding to minimize confusion and create a user-friendly experience.
(2) Safety. The project shall prioritize separation between roadways and greenway trails and shall minimize road crossings. Efforts should be made to increase visibility and decrease human error.
(3) Scenic Beauty. The project’s design shall showcase the diversity and beauty of the state.
(4) Accessibility. Trails shall be designed for comfort and differing abilities and to minimize drastic changes in slope or repeated stops.
(5) Connectivity. Routes should be as direct as possible while connecting as many communities as possible.
(g) Any master plan approved by the council may consider the following outdoor assets:
(1) Existing and planned greenway trails.
(2) Public lands, including, but not limited to, state parks, forest lands, the Forever Wild Land Trust, and conservation areas.
(3) Access points to blueways and hiking trails, especially National Water Trails, National Recreation Trails, and Alabama Scenic River Trails.
(4) Historically significant trails, roads, abandoned railways, and outdoor sites.
(5) Land potentially suitable for railbanking.
(6) Tourism trails and general tourist destinations.
(h) Any master plan approved by the council may consider the following additional factors when determining the route for the proposed project:
(1) Access for residents of tribal lands.
(2) Coordination with regional planning commissions.
(3) Potential for economic development in economically distressed areas.
(4) Possibilities for federal alternative transportation project funding.
(5) Capacity to minimize road crossings and avoid long distances adjacent to heavy-use roadways.
(6) Coordination with the Department of Transportation to avoid impeding utilities, drainage, and state right-of-way access.