curt's blog

A group of active cyclists from Edenton has taken the initiative to try to expand bicycling in the beautiful Albemarle Sound area. On May 12 they began the process with a public meeting to inform local citizens of their interests. Attendance was good and Carrie Banks and Dave Connelly of NC Rail-Trails spoke to the group to offer encouragement and future support in seeking grants. For more on the flavor of the meeting and contact information please see the 5/21 article in the Daily Advance

On April 26th & 27th information sessions will be held to answer questions and gather public input concerning plans for the long-term expansion of the A & Y Greenway trail.  The April 26th session will be held at the Stokesdale Town Hall while on the 27th it will be held at the Field House at Summerfield Athletic Park. Both sessions will be held from 11am to 7pm. Currently, a feasibility study is underway for the proposed rail trail. The trail follows the old Atlantic and Yadkin rail corridor and extends through Summerfield to downtown Stokesdale and beyond. The trail will eventually be incorporated into the North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea Trail that stretches nearly 1000 miles from Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey’s Ridge on the Outer Banks. For details on these meetings and on-going updates on plans and studies, please visit the A & Y Greenway Trail site .

Since our last newsletter last Fall, we've been busy thinking about how to improve our newsletter and the Spring '11 edition is the first to showcase this new look. Each 2011 newsletter has a theme, showcasing how rail-trails connect people and communities. The theme for this issue is economic development, focusing on the American Tobacco Trail. Our newsletter isn’t the only thing receiving a face-lift. We are also pleased to introduce you to the new North Carolina Rail-Trails logo. We hope that you like it! We will be rolling out our new image to the public and the media soon.

The Ecusta Trail is a proposed multi-use hike and bike 18-mile greenway along the railway corridor between Hendersonville and Brevard, North Carolina. The Friends of the Ecusta Trail have just been informed that the IRS has approved their status as a Non-profit 501(c)3 organization!  This confirms that donations that have been made, or are made now, are tax deductible for the donor. Donations are being used to develop informational materials that help get the group's message out. The City of Hendersonville is conducting a trail planning and economic impact study and expects results in the Fall of 2011 (See earlier news item and an April '11 article in Blue Ridge Now). They have also obtained names and contact info for all property owners along the line, and are ready to start making personal contact with each to talk about the trail and hear questions, objections and feedback. To donate and learn more on plans and news for this project please see the Friends of the Ecusta Trail web site.

A coalition of eleven groups involved in trails and greenways has been formed to coordinate their efforts to advocate for resources and policies that will expand trails throughout the State. The purpose of the coalition is to educate and promote investment in all kinds of trails and greenways as well as infrastructure like sidewalks and bike lanes. In an early outreach effort the coalition sent a brief letter about their mission to each member of the North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Rail-Trails is a founding member of this group.

The City of Hendersonville will be conducting a Rail to Trail planning study and economic impact analysis of the eighteen mile Norfolk Southern Ecusta rail line that travels from Hendersonville to Brevard. The study, which is partially funded through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration, will look at the possible conversion of this rail line to a multi-use trail for use by walkers, bicyclists, and others in Henderson and Transylvania County. The City anticipates that the study will be completed by late Fall 2011.  For further on the study see article on the WHKP site and an April '11 Blue Ridge Now update.   See the Friends of the Ecusta Trail site for background and current activities of the group.

Federal transportation programs and agencies are funded through March 4, 2011. With the changes brought by last November's elections, there will be a Republican redraft of the House version of the Federal budget, which will almost certainly reduce spending from the previous (Democratic-written) draft. Individuals and organizations concerned with trails and bike/ped facilities should be ready to tell their Members of Congress why funding for these programs is important. Our friends at American Trails have done an excellent job explaining how federal trail funding is currently under threat. Please follow this link to learn more and to make your voice heard by contacting your representatives.

The idea for a greenway along a corridor of the Piedmont & Northern is back. The proposal has not only been resurrected, it actually has some funding, at least for design and engineering. Adrian Miller, Belmont's assistant city manager reports the city recently got a $30,000 grant from the Carolina Thread Trail. In February 2011, the council will appoint a steering committee that will include property owners along the 1.4-mile stretch of the old P and N track running from Woodlawn Avenue north of Interstate 85 to downtown. Meanwhile, the city has applied for a $300,000 grant from the N.C. Department of Transportation for the project. If approved, the city would have to put up $60,000. To read more see a January 16 article from the Charlotte Observer. For earlier background please see our May 10, 2010 News item.

For any walkers or bicycle riders who've ever felt their safety took a back seat to motorists, now's the time to speak up. The state Department of Transportation has launched an online survey that solicits comment from pedestrians and cyclists on ways to improve their experiences. The results of the survey will be used to identify problems and safety concerns, and to gauge the level of public support for future investments in North Carolina's bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The survey can be found online at https://www.ncdot.gov/bikeped and will be open through February 8.

Our final 2010 newsletter contains articles on activity and plans for the Ecusta corridor in Hendersonville/Brevard, news of the retirement of AL Capehart after 21 years leading NCRT, news on plans for the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor, and a profile piece on our new Executive Director, Carrie Banks. Here is the link to the PDF version of our Fall 2010 newsletter.