Local cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts are being asked to help shape a new regional trail network connecting Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties in Northern Kentucky.
Nonprofits Tri-State Trails and the Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance (CORA) are leading the effort, called the Northern Kentucky Regional Trails Plan, to create a unified system of paved and natural surface trails.
To gather feedback, the organizations will host two in-person public open houses: Monday, Sept. 22, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Boone County Historic Courthouse in Burlington, and Monday, Sept. 29, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Campbell County Public Library in Newport.
A virtual session will follow Thursday, Oct. 2, from 6 to 7 p.m. Register online at tristatetrails.org/nky-regional-trails-plan to receive a Zoom link.
Residents can also provide input through an online survey, open Sept. 22 through Oct. 24. Organizers said the survey gives people on both sides of the Ohio River a chance to weigh in on which connections matter most.
“This plan aims to identify new places for multi-use natural surface trail development and elevate Northern Kentucky’s status to the national and world stage,” said Jason Reser, CORA’s executive director.
A coordinated effort to connect NKY
The plan represents the first coordinated effort by Tri-State Trails and CORA to proactively design both paved and natural surface trail opportunities across Northern Kentucky.
Central to the effort is the creation of what Tri-State Trails’ Wade Johnston described as a “braided trail network,” a concept that links multi-use pathways to enhance recreation, active transportation and economic development.
Officials say the plan aims to link essential community assets – parks, schools, shopping and workplaces – while offering flexible routes for walking, biking and hiking to neighborhoods across the region. The design draws inspiration from trail-focused communities such as Bentonville, Arkansas; Boulder, Colorado; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Atlanta.
“Regional corridors like Riverfront Commons, Licking River Greenway, and CVG Loop Trail have created the initial backbones of the paved network that this plan aims to connect,” Johnston said.
The current plan outlines 13 multi-use corridors intended to expand regional connectivity, building on existing trails. A steering committee of more than 45 local governments, county agencies, and community partners has guided the plan since March, reviewing existing conditions, refining proposed routes, and prioritizing connections.
The public input gathered during the information process and the survey will help refine the trail concepts and guide future planning efforts, which could in turn help shape other economic development planning down the road.
“When you provide people with safe and accessible options for walking and biking, they find ways to be more physically active in their daily lives,” Johnston said.
Northern Kentucky Regional Trails Plan
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