UNIVERSAL TRAIL ASSESSMENT PROCESS (UTAP) TRAININGS

About the Program: Beneficial Designs, Inc. developed the Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP) in the mid 1990s with funding from the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation at the National Institutes of Health. The goal was to create a system to assess trails for visitors of all abilities. UTAP is widely accepted as an objective and thorough methodology. UTAP is a land management tool rather than simply an accessibility tool. In this expanded role, the program provides a consistent way of looking at trails and gives land managers a common language by which they can communicate with the public and each other. The process reinforces the concepts of good trail design and has proven to be objective, accurate and reliable. UTAP clearly describes conditions on a trail by assessing criteria such as land surface, trail width, grade, cross slope, obstacles, and accessibility of parking, restrooms, picnic areas and signage. The Federal Highway Administration, the NYS Department of Health, and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation all endorse UTAP.

Our Goal: It is the goal of Parks & Trails New York to increase the accessibility of New York's outdoor trails for people with physical limitations that affect the quality of their recreational experience. We offer training in UTAP in order to build a group of persons who know how to assess trail accessibility and will commit to assessing several miles of trail (within their area) within a year of completing the training. The resulting information will be available on our Trail Finder Maps. LINK TO THE NEW MAPS

UTAP trainings consist of both classroom instruction and outdoor trail sessions. Generally, easier trails, with some variation of conditions, are used for training on the first day. More challenging trails and a greater variety of trail conditions are introduced on the second day. At the end of the second day, a certification exam is given. Participants who score 70% or higher can become certified by UTAP and American Trails, a national nonprofit trails organization once they complete a field assessment of one mile of trail.

Our Trainers:
Patricia Longmuir - Founder of PEL Consulting, Ms. Longmuir works with public, not for profit and private agencies to enhance the physical activity and recreation opportunities available to people of all abilities. She is a Master Trainer for the Universal Trail Assessment Process who specializes in access to outdoor, natural environments and has completed numerous trail assessments and UTAP training workshops. Ms. Longmuir holds a Master's Degree in Exercise Science from the University of Toronto and is a Professional Fitness and Lifestyle Consultant.

Carole Fraser - As Universal Access Program Coordinator for New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Ms. Fraser has worked since 2001 to improve accessibility to NYSDEC programs. Prior to her current assignment, she worked in DEC's office of Legislative Affairs and as the Assistant Editor of the Conservationist, NYSDEC's award winning magazine.

Participants:  Participants for UTAP Trainings are selected through an application process.  Many of the participants have completed all their requirements and have been certified b American Trails, Inc. as UTAP Trail Assessment Coordinators. 

2008 UTAP TRAINING CLASS

• Stephen Chagnon, Southeast Adirondack Independent Living Center
• Maryann Donaldson, Resource Center for Accessible Living, Inc.
• Daniel Driscoll, Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy
• Wally Elton, Parks & Trails New York
• Martin Howden, NYSOPRHP, Hamlin Beach State Park
• Mike, Krish, NYSOPRHP, Two Rivers/Newton Battlefield State Park
• Paul Leuchner, Niagara River Greenway Commission & Town of Grand Island Committee for Conservation of Environment
• Scott Lewendon, Clough Harbour & Associates
• Faith Lustik, Jefferson County Public Health Servicer
• Ion Meyer, NYS OPRHP, Grand Island
• Tom Meyering, Town of Poughkeepsie Recreation Dept. & Wappingers Greenway Trail Committee
• Chris More, NYSOPRHP, Saratoga Spa State Parks & Trails New York
• Tracy Murphy, Options for Independence, Syracuse
• Nicholas Piatek, Liberty Bike Trail
• Kate Schmidt, Orange County Planning
• Vicki Wilkins, SUNY Cortland Dept. of Recreation & NYS Inclusive Recreation Resource Center

2007 UTAP TRAINING CLASS

• Beverly Allyn – Mid-Hudson Bicycle Club
• Jim Arey – Elmira-Chemung Transportation Council
• Jill Barra – Herkimer County Public Health
• Victor Calise – City of New York Parks and Recreation
• Joyce Carroll – Columbia Land Conservancy
• Laura Conner – OPRHP, Saratoga/Capital District Region
• Andrew Giarrizzo – OPRHP, Western District
• Paul Hoffman – Finger Lakes Trail Conference, Triple Cities Hiking Club
• Mary Riley-Jacame – University of Albany Prevention Research Center
• Richard Schraven – Niagara Frontier Chapter ADK, Niagara Frontier Bicycle Club
• Al Sosa – Oneonta-Susquehanna Greenway, SUNY Oneonta Physical Education/Outdoor Education Dept.
• Wendy VanDerBogart – OPRHP, Central Region
• Matt Van Slyke – Herkimer-Oneida Counties Transportation Study
• Jan Wines – Croton on Hudson Trails Committee
• Donald Wyckoff – Catskill Center for Independence
• Martin Daley - Parks & Trails New York

2006 UTAP TRAINING CLASS

• Edward Ahern - Suffolk Independent Living Organization
• Karl Beard - National Parks Service, Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program
• Sharon Bryant-Heyboer – NYS Department of Transportation
• Howard Cornwall - Directions in Independent Living Inc.
• Lauren Dennison - New York State Office of Real Property Services
• Robin Ferri - Access to Independence of Cortland County
• Frances Gotcsik - Parks & Trails New York
• Michael Hellmann - Westchester Residential Opportunities, Westchester Disabled on the Move
• Wes Lampman - Adirondack Mountain Club
• Laura Lemire – New York State Department of Transportation
• Joy Olson - Rural Health Network South Central NY, Triple Cities Hiking Club
• Frank Pennisi - Southern Tier Independence Center, Inc.
• Kevin Prickett – Parks & Trails New York

• Andrew Rawdon - Compeer Inc., Crescent Trail Assoc., Monroe County. Regional Canalway Trail Group, Genesee Waterways Center

• Lynda Rummel – Finger Lakes Trail Conference, Friends of the Outlet, Yates County ARC
• Irene Szabo - Finger Lakes Trail Conference, North Country National Scenic Trail

Participant Commitment: Participants in the 2006, 2007, and 2008 trainings received their instruction free of charge, thanks to support from the New York StateOffice of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation; Laurance S. Rockefeller Fund, Christopher Reeve Foundation, New York Community Trust, New York State Department of Health Disability and Health Program, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. In return for receiving their training free of charge, after successful completion of the UTAP workshop each participant works with Parks & Trails New York staff to select and assess at least 3 miles of trails in their home region during the next year. Parks & Trails New York helps ach participant organize others to assist with these trail assessments. The accessibility information will be added to the Trail Finder Maps on the Parks & Trails New York website.

Participant Experience and Impact of the Training
The UTAP training course has generated many benefits well beyond the trail accessibility information that will be made available on Parks & Trails New York 's Trail Finder Maps. That greater impact is best described in the words of some of the participants:

Irene Szabo, Finger Lakes Trail Conference, Mt. Morris , NY: “The State of New York has adopted an inclusive policy requiring that new trails or new segments of existing trail systems on public land be properly assessed before they may be opened for use. While this is a socially admirable policy, it has also created an administrative logjam in the attempt to process assessments with such a relatively small handful of state employees trained in the Universal Trail Assessment Process so far.

“Therefore, we welcomed this opportunity for trail advocacy volunteers to be certified as assessors, nearly doubling the state's “UTAP squad.” Now we will be able to open new trail segments to the public literally years sooner. In addition, the training has given us the capacity to offer the public some fairly accessible sections of the Finger Lakes Trail that are suitable for almost any mobility level or sensory capacity. We also plan to create a section on our website on accessibility.”

Frank Pennisi, Program Services Coordinator, ADA Consultant, Southern Tier Independence Center, Binghamton , NY: “I have been an avid hiker, camper and nature lover for my entire life. I have been working at an independent living center for people with disabilities for 23 years and have been doing accessibility consultations for almost 27 years. For me, the UTAP training was a dream come true – a chance to bring together two fields of interest that are dear to my heart.

“I know many people with disabilities who are willing to risk moderate accessible or even “difficult” trails with planned assistance. The problem has always been determining levels of accessibility. The UTAP process takes away the subjectivity and replaces it with factual, usable data. This training will help tremendously in my work, particularly after the ADA Guidelines for Outdoor Environments are finalized and more parks and recreation areas seek to provide access. I believe the UTAP process is key to providing greater access to the outdoors for people with disabilities and I fervently hope that more people can be trained to utilize the process.”

Lynda Rummel, Ph.D., Past President, Friends of the Outlet, Inc., Penn Yan , NY: “A couple of years ago, I found this recorded at our trail head register box: “My wheelchair did it! Whoopee!” This comment made me realize that persons using wheelchairs are already trying to use the trail, but in its current state the trail is often too arduous for most. It is my goal to find ways to make the Outlet Trail more accessible to the ARC members who picnic at the trailhead and to all persons with disabilities. By learning UTAP, I can provide objective information about trail conditions for everyone and I am better equipped to shape construction and maintenance decisions towards increasing accessibility.”

Karl Beard, National Park Service Rivers and Trails Program, Hyde Park , NY: “I'm still high on that workshop. It was a success on all fronts. Right now, I'm negotiating with the Park to buy the equipment and software, in return for working with them to assess their trails, once certified. Thanks.”

Michael Hellman, Westchester Residential Opportunities/Westchester on the Move, Peekskill , NY: “ I have been involved with disability access issues for over 15 years, but cannot recall working with such a committed and community-spirited group. Your strong belief in the benefits of UTAP and your desire to open up trails to all persons enabled two days of intensive learning to be most enjoyable. Thank you for providing me with an invaluable experience and I look forward to our trail work ahead.”