Madison Multi-Use Trails Alliance seeks to connect trails in county

Imagine Berea and Richmond connected through multi-use trails – shared pathways for cyclists and pedestrians.

The Madison Multi-Use Trails Alliance is trying to make that a reality.

Established in January 2024 – though the idea had been around for several years – they are a volunteer group of community members who advocate for trails and support efforts to plan routes, find funds, and establish processes for ongoing maintenance.

Not only do they love biking, hiking, and the outdoors, but they also want to ensure the community can enjoy these activities too.

Beth Jenkins, president of Madison Multi-Use Trails and a member at-large of the Bluegrass Area Development District, said the group originally began with a vision to build more trails in Richmond, using Berea as a model of success. But soon, they expanded their goals.

“We realized the whole county needed something comprehensive, something cohesive,” Jenkins said.

As a result, their board was expanded to include a Berea City Appointee, Eastern Kentucky University professors and other county-wide stakeholders who through their backgrounds and connections give them broad support.

Kim Collins – board member, Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commissioner and former teacher at White Hall – was instrumental in the search for board members.

Closely connected to the community through her work as an educator and her involvement in multiple hiking and outdoor groups as well as civic institutions, Collins was able to find the representatives they needed.

“While we were hiking, (Beth Jenkins) said, hey, I want to relook at this multi-use trails idea. She said it was thrown out there, the ball was rolling and then it just all fell apart. And she said I’d like to get it going again,” Collins said. “I said, I’ll help, I’ll help. And I said, what can I do? And she said, well, we needed some people.”

There were other challenges along the way.

Originally, the Riney-B Railroad was a focus area of the group, but they discovered that without purchasing rights-of-way – a portion of a property that allows a public entity to add public infrastructure – it was impossible to build trails.

In other words, pre-planning and coordination with the city, county and state is crucial to ensure that there is land available for the trails to be built. With Berea and Richmond in the process of updating their comprehensive plans, it was the perfect time for the group to ensure coordination between both cities to build a connecting trail.

Though it takes a lot of work and collaboration, Madison Multi-Use Berea City Appointee Matthew Thomas, who is also the GIS/floodplain/stormwater coordinator for Berea, said that it is worth the time.

“I think that cooperation is very important. I think cooperating and working with Madison County, the city of Richmond, makes everyone’s job a little easier,” Thomas said. 

Besides incorporating multi-use paths throughout the county, the group’s goals include improving connectivity to parks, shopping, and neighborhoods, and building on tourism, historic, and recreational opportunities through the trails.

“Madison County has over 80 historical sites,” Jenkins said. “Wouldn’t it be cool if you could get from your bike, from Berea to Richmond through Farristown? How about from Whitehall to Boonesborough?”

With so many historical sites of interest in Madison County, Jenkins said these trails could drive tourism and recreation while highlighting the rich history of the county.

Committee member Alex Sipple, founder of Get Outside Kentucky (GOKY) and a Berea Tourism Commissioner, joined the Madison Multi-Use Trail Alliance to help with advocacy and influence decision making processes. He said that the group is trying to connect communities not only through physical trails, but socially as well.

“(It) would allow for a better bicycle culture as well as a social aspect for people to walk and be pedestrians,” Sipple said. “You know, I see more smiles and waves when I’m on a bike than I do in a car.”

You can learn more about Madison Multi-Use through their website here: https://sites.google.com/view/richmondrineyb/