The more we talk to community members about the possibility of a Shenandoah Rail Trail, the more it becomes clear that folks in our region have a lot to gain. It is well understood that trails are transformational for the communities they connect and ours will be no exception, bringing economic benefits, health benefits, safe transportation alternatives, accessible recreation opportunities and connecting towns in a way they haven’t been connected since trains ran the corridor.
But to make the trail a reality and deliver these benefits to our communities, there will need to be significant investment from the federal government, the Commonwealth of Virginia, localities, and private individual and corporate contributions.
Thankfully, federal decision makers seem to have also recognized the longtime need for access to safe outdoor recreation opportunities and transportation alternatives that COVID brought into sharp focus. Particularly, our two U.S. Senators have recently gone to bat to include and support funding for parks, trails and transportation alternatives in recent legislation that will help make trails like ours possible and reconnect communities across the nation. Senator Kaine even made a trip to the Valley to tour the proposed route (pictured left)!
So, let’s thank them! We’ve provided a form and sample letter you can edit to quickly send your appreciation to Senator Kaine and Senator Warner.