EXMORE, VA — The Eastern Shore Rail Trail has taken a major step forward with a $23.2 million federal grant that will extend the popular trail system by 17 miles, project officials announced this week.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the grant to the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission, which will use the funds to design and construct a new segment running from Birdsnest to Melfa. An initial phase of $4.8 million has already been allocated.
“This represents a historic moment in our effort to transform the region’s former rail corridor into a modern transportation and recreation asset,” said Ron Wolff, Executive Director of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Rail Trail Foundation.
The federal award brings total project funding to approximately $58 million, according to the foundation. The trail is now fully funded from Cape Charles to Onley, though the northern segment from Onley to Hallwood still requires additional financing.
The Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission, which successfully applied for the competitive federal grant, will manage the construction project. Canonie Atlantic Company, which owns the former railroad right-of-way, is serving as a key project partner.
When complete, the Eastern Shore Rail Trail will provide a continuous multi-use path connecting communities along Virginia’s Eastern Shore, offering both recreational opportunities and alternative transportation options for residents and visitors.
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1.36 MILLION dollars per mile. More grift. The PRR ran locomotives weighing tons and we get this boondoggle for bikes. This country is doomed.
23 million for a 17 mile stretch of what was reported as part of a 140 mile ultimate project. Take a wild guess how much has already been invested to get to this point. Take another wild guess on how much more to get to the completion of the 140 mile goal. Your third guess should be to estimate what the cost will be to maintain 140 miles of it going forward, I guess forever.
Let’s run some usage numbers and try to be ridiculously generous. Say 25% of people walk and bike,
25% of their time, with 25% of them anywhere close enough to the trail to use it every day. When they all show up they occupy 25% of the trail. That totally excludes 75% of the population, 75% of even those that walk and bike and 75% of the time the trail is empty at its peak usage.
This is a beautiful addition to any community but is obscene in the cost of tax dollars to benefit so few, so infrequently. 99% of the time it will be 99% empty. At minimum, usage should be expanded to include everyone being able to use it for any legal activity they choose and someone please project what tax dollars it takes to fund it.
I’m retired and my property taxes went up. The current Virginia legislature appears to be attempting to tax every noun or verb in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary. We have disabled, low income seniors pleading for help to maintain a safe and modest home in our low cost community housing that no one really cares about.
Our tax dollars at work with grants but maybe misdirected is as kind as I can describe it.
I couldn’t agree more especially with your last statement!
I do hope it’s used more than your projection though. I’m concerned about the upkeep as well. I can already see the litter strewn all over the place and being left to end up in the bay.
I’m first in line to preserve the ESVA, but smart, sustainable places need to be established to give people more activities to do around here.
People were doing just fine on The Shore without others giving them activities to do for hundreds of years before folks like you showed up.
Neanderthal much? People like you are obviously stuck and stagnant, so you stay right where you are while life grows around you.
There was already a road/trail that ran along the R/R tracks long before this liberal wet-dream was imagined. Ignorance is bliss in a land solid full of Come-Here’s.
Have you ever tried walking on those big rocks? I have and I don’t recommend it. It’s actually dangerous.
I grew up walking, running,and riding bikes on those ‘big rocks’.
lol nope!
It was a conservative MAGA lover who spear headed this. Not everything is the libs fault. Open borders? Libs. Ridiculous prices at the grocery store? Republicans.
Two side of the same worthless coin.
Everything is the liberal’s fault. Let’s look at some recent Republican/Conservative actions by the current administration and their supporters: Stopping American citizens and asking for “papers”. Telling American citizens they can’t carry firearms in places they can legally carry a gun.. Claiming Puerto Ricans are not American citizens. Some of you people complain nonstop about the “libs” but keep your mouths shut when the Constitution gets $h*t on. Bless your heart.
What happened to the millions Bolivia paid for the ‘scrap’?