Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment

Welcome to the Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment survey!

VDOT is requesting your help to gather feedback on Phase 1 of the assessment by completing a brief survey. The focus of Phase 1 was to identify the most likely configuration of a rail with trail alternative. Your comments will help advise the study team on important considerations and planning assumptions for subsequent study phases. For more information on this project, including the Phase 1 report with a full set of proposed typical sections, study phases, and schedule, please visit the project website.

Study Purpose

To assess the most likely configuration and costs associated with rail asset/rail bridge restoration and construction of an adjacent trail on the 49-mile Norfolk Southern-owned rail corridor between the Town of Broadway in Rockingham County and the Town of Front Royal in Warren County.

Background

The Norfolk-Southern owned rail corridor that traverses the Shenandoah Valley between the Town of Broadway in Rockingham County and the Town of Front Royal in Warren County has been the subject of interest since the line between Strasburg and Broadway was discontinued in sections from 1989 to 2016. Additionally, the segment between Front Royal and Strasburg was taken out-of-service. The corridor was previously studied in 2021 by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and VDOT at the direction of the Virginia General Assembly, and a ‘Rail to Trail’ conversion was found to be feasible. The General Assembly subsequently budgeted funding for the project, stipulating:

“Up to $35.0 million shall be allocated to the Shenandoah Valley Rail Trail for the purposes of land acquisition, initial planning, and site development. Any land acquisition by the Commonwealth as part of this trail’s development shall not preclude the consideration of options to maintain rail transportation in the corridor.”

The Shenandoah Rail with Trail Assessment will consider possible future rail uses in the corridor and estimate the costs associated with constructing a ‘Rail with Trail’ configuration. This alternative will be compared to the ‘Rail to Trail’ alternative to guide funding decisions by the General Assembly and the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

Project map

Contact

Brad Reed, AICP

District Planner / VDOT Staunton District Office

brad.reed@VDOT.Virginia.gov

Translation assistance: For translation assistance, please call the VDOT Staunton District Office at 540-332-9201. More information on Translation services can be acccessed here.

* Contact Information (optional):

Were you familiar with the Shenandoah Valley Rail Trail project prior to accessing this survey?

Yes

Closed to responses

Did you attend one of VDOT's public meetings for the Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment?

Yes

I plan to attend a future meeting

Closed to responses

How did you hear about this project?

Social media

Newspaper

Word of mouth

Project website

Other

Closed to responses

The following illustrations depict typical land conditions along the Shenandoah Valley Rail Corridor and how they would be developed with either a 'Rail-to-Trail' or a 'Rail-with-Trail' option. Please select the statement that best describes your view of these options.

Click or tap the image to make it larger.

I am supportive of both options

I prefer the Rail-to-Trail option

I prefer the Rail-with-Trail option

I am not supportive of changing the corridor from its current condition

Closed to responses

In general, would you feel comfortable using a trail designed as either a 'Rail-to-Trail' or 'Rail-with-Trail' option?

Yes, I would be comfortable using both trail options

I would only be comfortable using a 'Rail-to-Trail'

I would only be comfortable using a 'Rail-with-Trail'

No, I would not be comfortable using either type of trail

I do not use trails

Closed to responses

Please rank the following issues from most important to least important for the Commonwealth of Virginia to consider when deciding between a 'Rail-to-Trail' or a 'Rail-with-Trail' option.

Closed to responses

Please provide us with any information that you believe will assist VDOT in studying the Shenandoah Valley Rail Corridor.

Closed for Comments

What other information would you like to see released, if any?

Closed for Comments

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Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment

Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment

Question title

* Contact Information (optional):

Question title

Were you familiar with the Shenandoah Valley Rail Trail project prior to accessing this survey?

Question title

Did you attend one of VDOT's public meetings for the Shenandoah Valley Rail with Trail Assessment?

Question title

How did you hear about this project?

Question title

The following illustrations depict typical land conditions along the Shenandoah Valley Rail Corridor and how they would be developed with either a 'Rail-to-Trail' or a 'Rail-with-Trail' option. Please select the statement that best describes your view of these options.

Question title

In general, would you feel comfortable using a trail designed as either a 'Rail-to-Trail' or 'Rail-with-Trail' option?

Question title

Please rank the following issues from most important to least important for the Commonwealth of Virginia to consider when deciding between a 'Rail-to-Trail' or a 'Rail-with-Trail' option.

Question title

Please provide us with any information that you believe will assist VDOT in studying the Shenandoah Valley Rail Corridor.

Question title

What other information would you like to see released, if any?