.............................................................. 23 ..................................................... 7 Trail System Overview .................................................................. 23 Purpose .......................................................................................... 7 Regional Analysis .......................................................................... 27 History ............................................................................................ 7 Region 1 ....................................................................................... 27 Vision and Goals ............................................................................. 7 Region 2 ....................................................................................... 37 Context ........................................................................................... 8 Region 3 ....................................................................................... 44 Five Regions ................................................................................... 8 Region 4 ....................................................................................... 54 Region 5 ....................................................................................... 60 ............................................................... 9 Overview ........................................................................................ 9 ........................................... 68 Health and Physical Activity ........................................................... 9 Overview ...................................................................................... 68 Safety ........................................................................................... 10 Priority Trail Planning and Development ..................................... 68 Economy....................................................................................... 11 Development Strategy ................................................................. 79 Environment ................................................................................ 14 Resources and Funding ................................................................ 84 Quality of Life ............................................................................... 15 .................................... 19 Design Standards............................................................................ A Overview ...................................................................................... 19 Resolutions of Support ................................................................... B Project Website ............................................................................ 19 Project Webinars.......................................................................... 19 Staff Review ................................................................................. 19 Virginia Bicycling Federation ........................................................ 19 Stakeholder Outreach .................................................................. 19 Previous Outreach........................................................................ 20 Shared Use Path: Multi-use path designed primarily for use by bicyclists and pedestrians, including pedestrians with disabilities, for transportation and recreation purposes. Shared use paths are physically separated from motor vehicle traffic by an open space or barrier, and are either within the highway right- of-way or within an independent right-of-way. (U.S. Access Board) Trail: The treadway and shoulders of a cleared or improved path (2007 Virginia Outdoors Plan). Trail design will vary with the primary user group--if a trail is designed to serve pedestrians, federal guidelines for outdoor developed areas apply. Accessible Route: For paths that connect accessible facilities, more stringent guidelines apply. A review of the definitions and technical requirements for each type of route is available at: http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/recreation-facilities/outdoor-developed-areas/a-summary-of-accessibility- standards-for-federal-outdoor-developed-areas/appendixes Trailhead: According to the U.S. Access Board, a trail head is an outdoor space that is designated by an entity responsible for administering or maintaining a trail to serve as an access point to the trail. To meet federal guidelines for outdoor developed areas, trailhead information signs should include Length of the trail or trail segment Type of trail surface Typical and minimum trail tread width Typical and maximum trail grade Typical and maximum trail cross slope TOWN OF SOUTH HILL TOWN OF STUART TOWN OF TROUTDALE COUNTY BRUNSWICK COUNTY VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (VDOT) CARROLL COUNTY VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION (VDCR) FLOYD COUNTY FRANKLIN COUNTY GRAYSON COUNTY GREENSVILLE COUNTY LOCAL HALIFAX COUNTY CITY OF BRISTOL HENRY COUNTY CITY OF CHESAPEAKE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY CITY OF DANVILLE LEE COUNTY CITY OF EMPORIA MECKLENBURG COUNTY CITY OF FRANKLIN MONTGOMERY COUNTY CITY OF GALAX PATRICK COUNTY CITY OF MARTINSVILLE PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY CITY OF NORFOLK PULASKI COUNTY CITY OF NORTON RUSSELL COUNTY CITY OF PORTSMOUTH SCOTT COUNTY CITY OF RADFORD SMYTH COUNTY CITY OF SUFFOLK SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH SUSSEX COUNTY TOWN OF ABINGDON WASHINGTON COUNTY TOWN OF BIG STONE GAP WISE COUNTY TOWN OF BOYDTON WYTHE COUNTY TOWN OF BOYKINS TOWN OF BRODNAX PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSIONS TOWN OF CLARKSVILLE CRATER TOWN OF CUMBERLAND GAP, TN CUMBERLAND PLATEAU TOWN OF DAMASCUS HAMPTON ROADS TOWN OF DUBLIN LENOWISCO TOWN OF DUFFIELD MOUNT ROGERS TOWN OF DUNGANNON NEW RIVER VALLEY TOWN OF JARRATT SOUTHSIDE TOWN OF LA CROSSE WEST PIEDMONT TOWN OF LAWRENCEVILLE TOWN OF PENNINGTON GAP TOWN OF PULASKI TOWN OF SCOTTSBURG TOWN OF SOUTH BOSTON STATE FRIENDS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA HEALTHY APPALACHIA INSTITUTE VIRGINIA STATE PARKS DISTRICT 1, 5 AND 6 HENRY COUNTY BIKE CLUB FIRST LANDING STATE PARK NEW RIVER VALLEY SIERRA CLUB FAIRY STONE STATE PARK IRON MOUNTAIN BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN OF VIRGINIA/ OCCONEECHEE STATE PARK IRON MOUNTAIN TRAIL RIDERS NEW RIVER TRAIL STATE PARK JARRATT RECREATION ASSOCIATION NATURAL TUNNEL STATE PARK LONESOME PINE DISTRICT STAUNTON RIVER STATE PARK MASTER NATURALISTS-HISTORIC SOUTHSIDE CHAPTER WILDERNESS ROAD STATE PARK MASTER NATURALISTS-HOLSTON RIVER CHAPTER VA DEPT. OF GAME AND INLAND FISHERIES MASTER NATURALISTS-SOUTHWESTERN PIEDMONT CHAPTER VA DEPT. OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEV. NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE NEW RIVER VIRGINIA TOURISM NEW RIVER LAND TRUST SPEARHEAD TRAILS (SOUTHWEST REGION RECREATION AUTHORITY) NEW RIVER VALLEY BICYCLE ASSOCIATION OLD DOMINION RESOURCE AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL NATIONAL/REGIONAL OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION PARTNERSHIP FOR FLOYD NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PENINSULA BICYCLING ASSOCIATION UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE, CLINCH AND MT. ROGERS DISTRICTS PINE MOUNTAIN CONFERENCE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RADFORD UNIVERSITY US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ROANOKE RIVER RAILS TO TRAILS CUMBERLAND GAP NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK ROUND THE MOUNTAIN ARTISAN NETWORK TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY SELU CONSERVANCY USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT SORBA TRI-CITIES SOUTHEASTERN ASSOCIATION OF TRAIL RIDERS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN GREENWAYS ALLIANCE ACTIVATE MARTINSVILLE-HENRY COUNTY SOUTHERN VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION BIKE NORFOLK SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA HORSE COUNCIL BLUE RIDGE BICYCLE CLUB SOUTHWEST REGIONAL RECREATION AUTHORITY BLUE RIDGE LAND CONSERVANCY SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA CULTURAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION BOY SCOUTS (BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS COUNCIL) SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA CYCLISTS BOY SCOUTS (COLONIAL VIRGINIA COUNCIL) THE HARVEST FOUNDATION BOY SCOUTS (HEART OF VIRGINIA COUNCIL) THE NATURE CONSERVANCY BOY SCOUTS (SEQUOYHA AND JOHNSON CITY COUNCILS) TIDEWATER BICYCLE ASSOCIATION BOY SCOUTS (TIDEWATER COUNCIL) TIDEWATER HORSE COUNCIL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF EMPORIA/GREENSVILLE VIRGINIA BICYCLING FEDERATION CLINCH COALITION AND CLINCH RIVER INITIATIVE VIRGINIA CREEPER TRAIL CLUB CROOKED ROAD HERITAGE MUSIC TRAIL CYCLISTS OF DANVILLE DAN RIVER BASIN ASSOCIATION EASTERN VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION HNTB ELIZABETH RIVER TRAIL COMMITTEE ALTA PLANNING + DESIGN EMPORIA-GREENSVILLE RECREATION ASSOCIATION FAMILY YMCA OF EMPORIA/GREENSVILLE Region 5: Bristol to Cumberland Gap Path/Trail - Existing Other Regional Route Beach Path/Trail - Planned/Proposed Railroad Bicycle Shop On-Road Water Trail - Existing Campground Spur - Existing Water Trail - Proposed Museum Spur - Planned / Proposed Anchor Bluegrass Music Site 35 Gateway “Round the Mountain” Artisan Venue 34 36 37 33 Executive Summary 39 31 32 38 Vision .....This statewide N 20 MILES shared-use path and multi-use Trail Characteristics Trail Regions trail connects communities » Multiple uses, multiple surfaces 1. Virginia Beach to Emporia » Suitable for out-of-state tourists 2. Emporia to Danville between the Virginia Beach » Easy to navigate 3. Danville to Galax/Radford Oceanfront and Cumberland » Safe, year-round attraction 4. Galax/Radford to Bristol » Each region stands on its own and 5. Bristol to Cumberland Gap Gap, providing residents and begins and ends in a state park or visitors in southern Virginia gateway city with increased opportunities Gateways & Anchors for walking, bicycling, and Since one goal is to promote trail towns and places that serve trail users, “gateways” horseback riding. have been