Project Under Threat
Dear Supporter of the Shenandoah Rail Trail,
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.
Sign the petition!
Local elected officials along the 49-mile corridor are blindsided by this move by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. This only raises questions, but what is clear is that public funds, allocated or not, should only be spent after a fully studied and vetted plan is in place.
As you’re aware, the Shenandoah Rail Trail IS a fully studied concept. The rail trail project has been the subject of a state-authorized third-party feasibility study, a commissioned economic impact study, a VDOT survey with over 9,000 responses (the most they’ve had for any other project) and a series of 10 community meetings in each of the towns—all backed by overwhelming public support.
Join in restating your support for the Shenandoah Rail Trail!
All we know about the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation’s plan is not much. It seems as though they may want to run an excursion train, and in parts of the corridor, there may be short trail segments, but their idea has not been studied, which puts the entire corridor at risk.
The Shenandoah Rail Trail is the best, most cost-effective way to protect the historic corridor so that it has the most public use and widespread benefit.
This is an alarming development for the nine towns, three counties, dozens of local businesses, thousands of community members, and local and state elected leaders who have worked tirelessly together over the past six years to achieve the Shenandoah Rail Trail.
Please take action and sign the petition today.
Don Hindman
Chair, Friends of the Shenandoah Rail Trail
shenandoahrailtrail.org
From Left to Right Mayor of Broadway (David Jordan), Shenandoah County Board of Supervisor (Tim Taylor), Mayor of Toms Brook (Lisa Currie ), Town Council Member of Mount Jackson (Rod Shepherd), Don Hindman (Chair, Friends of the Shenandoah Rail Trail), Mayor of Edinburg (Dan Harshman), Mayor of Strasburg (Brandy Hawkins Boies)