ITEM #12: FOR YOUR INFORMATION
A. HRTPO Letter of Support to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation Attached is a letter, dated April 2, 2021, from Mr. Robert A. Crum, Jr., HRTPO Executive Director, to Ms. Emily White, Virginia Outdoors Foundation Conversation Grant Program Manager, supporting the East Coast Greenway Alliance’s application for Advancing the East Coast Greenway by Connecting the Great Dismal Swamp Canal Trail.
Attachment 12A
B. Resolution of Appointment to the HRTPO Board Attached is a resolution, dated April 20, 2021, from the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors, appointing Ms. Carol E. Steel as Acting County Administrator, and thereby, in said position, the non-voting representative to the Board of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO).
Attachment 12B
C. Letter of Appointment to the HRTPO Board Attached is a letter, dated April 29, 2021, from Ms. Sandra M. Madison, Chesapeake City Clerk, to the Honorable Richard W. West, Chesapeake City Mayor, notifying him of his appointment as the City’s voting representative to the Board of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO).
Attachment 12C
D. VDOT’s HRTAC Program Development Monthly Executive Report VDOT provides monthly reports to the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC) staff on the status of the Regional Priority Projects.
Attachment 12D
HRTPO Board Meeting │ May 20, 2021│ Agenda Donnie R. Tuck, Chair; Richard W. “Rick” West, Vice-Chair Robert A. Crum, Jr., Executive Director
April 2, 2021
Ms. Emily White Conservation Grant Program Manager Virginia Outdoors Foundation 900 Natural Resources Drive, Suite 800 Charlottesville, VA 22903
SENT VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
RE: Advancing the East Coast Greenway by Connecting the Great Dismal Swamp Canal Trail – Chesapeake, Virginia
Dear Ms. White,
The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization staff fully supports the East Coast Greenway Alliance’s application for Advancing the East Coast Greenway by Connecting the Great Dismal Swamp Canal Trail in Chesapeake, Virginia.
This project will advance the trail planning for the gap between the completed sections of the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, ultimately creating a continuous greenway linking Virginia and North Carolina. Specifically, this project addresses the Virginia side gap, from the southern end of the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail near Lake Drummond to the Virginia-North Carolina border. This effort will improve access to the outdoors for residents and visitors to Chesapeake, make bicycling and walking safer, and provide economic benefits through trail and heritage tourism opportunities in this culturally and historically important region.
The East Coast Greenway is routed on Route 17 for approximately 4 miles from the southern end of the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail in Chesapeake to the Virginia-North Carolina border. This on-road routing is unsafe for walkers, bicyclists, and other non-motorized users. Completing the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail would transform Chesapeake and the region for public safety, health, and recreation.
Completing this section of the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail/East Coast Greenway, a project included in the region’s Linking Hampton Roads active transportation plan, would connect two existing trails in the area. It would also help the Hampton Roads region complete the vision of linking off-road separated trails to promote tourism and recreation.
For these reasons, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization staff supports this proposal and the East Coast Greenway Alliance’s efforts to complete the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail in Virginia.
The Regional Building | 723 Woodlake Drive | Chesapeake, Virginia 23320 | 757-420-8300 Attachment 1 A
2 Ms. Emily White April 2, 2021 Page 2
Thank you for considering their proposal. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me at (757) 420-8300 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Robert A. Crum, Jr. Executive Director
PP/cm
Copy: Christopher Price, Chesapeake Sarah Sanford, East Coast Greenway Alliance Pavithra Parthasarathi, HRTPO Dale Stith, HRTPO Steve Lambert, HRTPO
The Regional Building | 723 Woodlake Drive | Chesapeake, Virginia 23320 | 757-420-8300 Attachment 1 A
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