PURPOSE

The purpose of the Inland Northwest Trails Coalition is to:

1. To promote the Inland Northwest as a premium non-motorized recreation destination while creating a viable active transportation system for our residents.
2. Protect and promote the Inland Northwest's trails, waterways, and recreational destinations.
3. Preserve and create viable natural habitat and trail corridors integrated with and connected to, a well-distributed system of neighborhood, community and regional parks designed to enhance the quality of life by providing recreational opportunity and preserving open space.

GOALS

1. Create a vision of a non-motorized transportation and recreation system for our region. The creation of this vision will exclude the constraints imposed by financial considerations, geography, history, and current physical features.
2. Make this vision a reality by Advocating, Planning, Implementing, and Promoting:
3. Promote a comprehensive, linked system of trails, parks and other protected natural areas as a vital aspect of our region's growing recreation and tourism economy.
4. Organize existing non-profit conservation, recreation, and civic groups as well as community leaders, recreational businesses, and elected officials to create a long-range vision and achieve Inland Northwest Trail's goals.
5. Publish a regional recreational trails and tourism study to show the economic benefit of a comprehensive trails system.
6. Promote the region as a recreational hub for active, healthy living.
7. Identify corridors between north and south side neighborhoods, parks, natural areas, and other key recreation areas in Spokane and Kootenai Counties to the Centennial Trail and the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.
8. Identify additional corridors and safe travel routes between rural trails, parks, and recreation destinations and urban trails and amenities.
9. Develop a regional trail classification system.
10. Create a comprehensive, regional recreational trails and waterways guide and map.
11. Work with the Spokane Regional Transportation Council (SRTC) and their existing maps and resources to ensure accountability; help advocate for trail planning in neighborhood, city, county, and regional planning organizations.
12. Work with all levels of government to ensure implementation of comprehensive planning.
13. Support efforts to protect and connect private and public natural areas as well as wildlife and recreation corridors.
14. Advocate for high safety and construction standards for new trails, adequate maintenance of existing trails, and protection of historic trails and natural areas.
15. Educate the community about shared use and safety on trails, streets, and waterways.
16. Organize a community trails event to help promote the region as a recreational trails destination.