About TRTC
Founded in 1989, the Triangle Rails to Trails Conservancy (TRTC) a state chartered, non-profit organization that accomplishes much of it’s work through volunteer efforts. Its purpose is to work with local and state government officials to preserve local abandoned railroad corridors for future transportation and other interim uses such as recreational trails. Since 1998, TRTC volunteers have put in over 8,800 hours in cleaning up, resurfacing and maintaining the American Tobacco Trail (ATT) in Durham, Chatham and Wake Counties.
Our current focus is supporting safety and signage improvements for the American Tobacco Trail, arranging volunteer projects and providing feedback to local trail managers on problems or proposed changes.
ATT Trail Maps
American Tobacco Trail
(Durham & Greenways PDF)
American Tobacco Trail
(Chatham & Wake Sections PDF)
Latest News
ATT in Chatham Gets New Signs
In late December Cary installed the long-awaited crossing signs and a few signs to remind users to call out "On your left" when overtaking others on the trail. Signs identifying the ATT and the road being crossed have been installed at New Hope Church Road,...
Bid Process for ATT Phase E Delayed Until January
A wage dispute between the NCDOT and the U.S. Department of Labor has delayed the bid opening for this project. The dispute involves estimates the Labor Department uses to set wage rates for projects that use federal money, such as the long-awaited pedestrian/cyclist...
NC DOT Starts Study of Rail Crossings in Durham
State officials will hold three meetings this week (Nov. 28--Dec 2) to get public comments on Durham County railroad crossings. The "visioning workshops" are the start of a "Traffic Separation Study" aimed at improving safety, and the public's opinion matters, said...
Re-bid for ATT Bridge and Trail to Start in November
Durham staff have announced that the second bidding documents will be released to potential bidders on November 15th and a bidders Q&A session is set for November 30th. Bid opening by the City has been set for December 15th. Assuming at least one proposal comes in...
ATT 10 Miler Set for Saturday October 22
Only about four weeks until the 2011 ATT 10 miler! The North Carolina Road Runners Club created the American Tobacco Trail 10 Miler in 2007 to raise awareness and support for the growing trail system throughout the Triangle. Proceeds from these races will help...
Officials Reach Agreement on Supplemental Funding for ATT Phase E Projects
In a September 14th meeting, the Durham-Orange Transportation Advisory Committee considered several options for additional funding and have opted to use ~3.5 million$ from a reserve fund which had been set aside to cover cost overruns, small and county transportation...
First Annual Ales for Rail-Trails 5K
North Carolina Rail-Trails, perhaps our closest sister organization, will be holding their first annual 5K race in downtown Durham on October 9th. The race starts at the Fullsteam Brewery at 4pm and will include a short section on the American Tobacco Trail. Race...
Bull City Open Streets Event –October 9th
Bull City Open Streets (BCOS) will hold their fourth and final 2011 event on Sunday afternoon October 9th. The roads along Central Park and around Durham Athletic Park will be closed to car traffic, making active transportation easy and safe. Event highlights include:...
Durham Plans to Push Forward on Bridge for American Tobacco Trail
Durham has received and reviewed the bids for completing the ATT in Durham County. The lowest bid totaled some $7.7 million, ~2million more than costs estimated and funding available for the project. The City Manager and top staff are examining options to allow the...
Herndon Connector Trail Nearing Completion
Several years ago TRTC identified that users of the South Durham section of the ATT were often unaware that restrooms were available only a short distance from the trail at Herndon Park. As many users had asked us about facilities there and elsewhere on the trail we...
Recent Status of Permitting and Approvals for Phase E of ATT
(ATT south of NC 54 and bridge spanning I-40) Durham's Public Works Department web site has reinstated their posting of summaries of the project's status. The final permits have now been obtained and the Request for Proposals were released in early June. Opening of...
Parking Restrictions in Effect Near O’Kelly Trail Crossing
In early February the State DOT installed numerous NO PARKING signs on both sides of O'Kelly Chapel Road adjacent to the ATT crossing as well as at the other two crossings. Chatham County has informed us that the State Highway Patrol is now enforcing these...