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.”
Commentary: Preserving history and promoting recreation: Shenandoah Rail Trail
A rail to trail is more than just a pathway; it is a conduit for connection, bridging the gap between past and present, nature and civilization. It invites us to explore, to learn, and to forge new memories against the backdrop of history.
Commentary: 'Just say no'
“Just say no” said Nancy Reagan.
That sentiment applies today for the plan to rebuild and run trains along the "removed from service" old railroad connecting Front Royal to Broadway.
Project Under Threat
We recently learned that the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation has entered into a Letter of Intent with Norfolk Southern to purchase the rail corridor. Evidently they intend to use the $35 million allocated for the Shenandoah Rail Trail for a different project.
Help us build the Shenandoah Rail Trail - Send a Message Today
Great news! The amended budget signed by Governor Youngkin on September 14, 2023, included language supporting the Shenandoah Rail Trail.
But the work is not done. Officials need to move forward with the project.
Ask state legislators & Governor Youngkin to take the next steps toward a Shenandoah Rail Trail!
State budget allocates $35 million to Shenandoah Rail Trail project
The Shenandoah Valley Rail Trail project is set to receive $35 million in state funding thanks to budget amendments passed by the Virginia legislature on Wednesday.
Friends of the Shenandoah Rail Trail announced Wednesday afternoon that the budget allocation will be used for land acquisition, initial planning and site development of the project that will create a multi-use trail through Warren, Shenandoah, and Rockingham counties.
Shenandoah Rail Trail Funding in the Royal Examiner
In an unprecedented show of unity, mayors across nine towns and three counties have hailed the Virginia state legislators for approving budget amendments that will finally bring the Shenandoah Rail Trail to life. Slated to be a 50-mile multi-use trail, the project promises to be more than just a scenic jaunt; it’s a conduit for economic development, community interaction, and conservation.
Neighboring Rail Trail Landowners and the “Taking” Claim
It has come to our attention that many property owners adjacent to the rail corridor are being contacted by law firms about the possibility of joining a lawsuit seeking compensation from the Federal Government for any property that might have been “taken” when the Shenandoah Rail Corridor was built in the 1850’s.
State Funding & Securing the Corridor for Future Public Benefit
After the long-awaited approval of the state budget, we are excited to announce there is over $90 million set aside for trails. This historic investment in multi-use trails will boost the development of new multi-use trails and increase access in communities across Virginia.
Tell legislators you support investment in multi-use trails like the Shenandoah Rail Trail.
With a positive feasibility study published by the state, a promising economic impact analysis AND the owner of the corridor seeking a buyer, NOW is the time to act to make a multi-use Shenandoah Rail Trail connecting communities from Broadway to Front Royal a reality.
A Shenandoah Rail Trail IS feasible!
A study conducted by state agencies found that a Shenandoah Rail Trail IS feasible and also that there is overwhelming support for the concept.
Economic Impact of a Shenandoah Rail Trail
In addition to all the expected community benefits the trail will offer, Shenandoah Valley communities also stand to benefit economically.
Connections in the making
Communities along the proposed route have already begun to envision their towns with a Shenandoah Valley Rail Trail.
How did this get started?
The idea of converting the unused north-south rail corridor in Shenandoah and Rockingham counties to a multi-use trail was sparked back in 2016 when the town of Woodstock formed the Woodstock Exploratory Rails to Trails Committee.