One vote short: Even the CTB is divided on this flawed process
In a move that reflects just how controversial this "rushed" process has been, the Commonwealth Transportation Board was split down the middle with a 6-6 tie. Ultimately, the outgoing Secretary of Transportation cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of transferring the project and its funding to the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority.
Mayors request CTB delay
In a letter to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, mayors from the nine towns along the Shenandoah Rail Trail asked the CTB to defer action on the proposal to transfer the rail-trail project and its funding through the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to a private organization. The letter noted that the proposal is “being hurried toward an outcome that appears misaligned with our towns’ economic and quality-of-life interests, but rather is placed with a private entity that has no formal accountability to our communities.”
Why the rush??!
At their meeting on December 16, the VPRA board agreed to accept the transfer of the Shenandoah Rail Trail project and its funding. Although the vote was disappointing, we weren’t surprised by this purely procedural decision. On January 6, the Commonwealth Transportation Board will vote on whether to approve the transfer.
Project Ambushed: TAKE ACTION
We had a BIG surprise this week (not in a good way) that threatens the future of the Shenandoah Rail Trail. A new proposal was presented at the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) meeting on December 9, leaving all of us shocked and frustrated.
VDOT Phase 3 Report Shows Rail-To-Trail is the Responsible Path Forward
VDOT’s rail-with-trail assessment confirms what earlier phases and thousands of public comments already showed: rail-with-trail is costly and complicated, while rail-to-trail is the practical, community-backed path. This conclusion aligns with formal endorsements from every locality along the corridor and years of on-the-ground engagement.
VDOT Phase 2 Report Confirms: Rail-To-Trail is the Clear Path Forward
The results are clear: a rail-with-trail project would be far more complex. The report also confirmed that people want: a trail. In Phase 1, 54% of survey responses supported rail-to-trail, and nearly everyone supported having a trail in some form.
VDOT public meeting dates scheduled and report published
VDOTs Phase 1 Report dropped and public meetings are scheduled. As expected, all signs point to the Shenandoah Rail Trail being the highest and best use for the unused corridor and the project that will bring the most mental, physical, and financial benefit for the state’s investment.
Help Us Bring the Shenandoah Rail Trail to Timberville…and beyond!
With rail trails across Virginia and the United States transforming communities and boosting local economies, the Shenandoah Rail Trail stands to significantly benefit Timberville while aligning perfectly with its community and economic growth goals.
Connecting history today and building tomorrow.
We’re excited for the future Shenandoah Rail Trail, which will make exploring the Valley’s history and culture even more fun. This trail will connect towns and create a safe, fun way for people to get to local events, all while learning about the region’s rich history.
We’re Sticking Around!
Thank you for keeping the momentum for the Shenandoah Rail Trail alive and growing. In partnership with nine towns and three counties, Friends of the Shenandoah Rail Trail remains dedicated to transforming this unused corridor into a safe, accessible path for Every Body.
This is not the trail you advocated for.
And as we expected, rail-with-trail advocates are not building the Shenandoah Rail Trail that you advocated for to your local and state lawmakers and that the General Assembly set aside funding to make happen.
Commentary: The Great Allegheny Passage and its transformative impact
I've visited and studied several rail to trails in different parts of the country. All have proven to be a boost to their economies, bring in tourists, and are enjoyed by residents. Our proposed Shenandoah Rail Trail here will have a similar positive economic benefits.
Open Forum: Rail To Trail Supported By Broadway Lions
The trail will have a major economic impact from the tourists visiting our area, as well as every town and county along the rail corridor. That fact alone should be sufficient argument for the abandoned rail line to be converted to a trail as soon as possible. It will also be a selling point to raise the funds needed for the project, which will benefit everyone.
Commentary: Rail Trail in Colorado
I've visited and studied several rail to trails in different parts of the country. All have proven to be a boost to their economies, bring in tourists, and are enjoyed by residents. Our proposed Shenandoah Rail Trail here will have a similar positive economic benefits.
Dan Harshman: Rails to Trails
It is impossible to forget the impact the railroad had, and still has, on our country. However, it is no longer economically feasible for this corridor to serve its original purpose. The 49-mile Trail offers the best possible use now while still preserving what once was — a pathway that connects our communities.
A new dawn for a historic railroad
One exciting aspect of the Shenandoah Rail Trail project is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve and protect an intact historic railway corridor that reconnects the visiting public and local people with the amazing 175-year history of the railroad and the communities it connected.
Commentary: Shenandoah Rail Trail, an investment in our rural economy
The commercial premiums afforded by our community's strategic location were evident to me as the owner of a popular business in Woodstock. Situated in the beautiful valley between the Allegheny and Blue Ridge mountains, Shenandoah County's rural economy is blessed by its proximity to one of the country's most vibrant population centers. The benefit is leveraged by easy access to our area from major North/South and East/West interstate systems.
An unused rail corridor in the Shenandoah Valley sparks a fight over what’s next
Last year, the General Assembly appropriated up to $35 million, as part of a $245 million package, to buy land for the rail trail and conduct initial planning and site development. Language in the state budget noted that any land acquisition for the trail “shall not preclude the consideration of options to maintain rail transportation in the corridor.”