General Info:
The East Coast Greenway Alliance ( ECGA ) is the non-profit organization spearheading the development of the East Coast Greenway. Based in in Wakefield RI, the ECGA also employs field staff in each of its four regions. The Alliance promotes the vision for connecting local trails into a continuous route, provides strategic assistance for states, counties, and municipalities that build local trail sections, officially designates trails as part of the ECG trail system, posts signage, and makes maps and guides to facilitate use of the Greenway. The ECGA does not own any of the Greenway trail system, but plays a vital role in ensuring its continuity and in monitoring trail conditions to ensure consistency in trail quality. ECGA will support local trail agencies in securing the funds to maintain their trails. The ECGA promotes the vision for the ECG and provides an advocacy network grounded in its volunteer state committees. It works through partnerships with national, state, and local government agencies, trail organizations, engineering firms, civic organizations, and scores of other groups that support the ECG vision. Many trails already existed when the ECG was launched in 1991, and many others have been initiated by grassroots groups. The ECGA is working to establish new trails in the gap areas where no-one else is actively promoting trails. To partner with local, state, and national agencies and organizations to promote the establishment, stewardship, and public enjoyment of a traffic-free multi-user trail linking cities and towns from Maine to Florida. The ECGA is a non-profit membership organization open to all individuals and organizations that support the ECGA mission. We are a national organization with volunteer state committees that promote the Greenway at the local level. We have a staff of eleven and are governed by an eleven-member board. A 22-member Trail Council oversees the trail development process and resolves routing or other trail policy issues. The Alliance also has a 15-member Advisory Board with members who provide expertise and other assistance to the effort. Learn more about the ECGA by exploring the other pages in this section. You can also learn about the history of the ECGA and the benefits of the ECGA in other sections.