First Steps for Virginia Eastern Shore Rail Trail Project

"Last month, Canonie Atlantic, the company which owns the tracks on the Eastern Shore [in Virginia], petitioned the federal Surface Transportation Board to decommission a 49.1 miles long rail line from the town of Hallwood to Cape Charles. If their motion is approved, that stretch of tracks would be eligible to be rail-banked — a legal process by which abandoned railways can be converted into shared-use walking, biking, and roller skating paths," reports Wyatt Gordon.

Advocates of the trail say that this project could be a huge economic boost for the region, an area which has experienced an ongoing decrease in population in past decades. Other similar projects, including 48 existing trails in Virginia, have been a draw for tourists, hikers, and cyclists, and communities along these routes have benefited from the influx of money to local economies.

"Beyond their recreational and economic value, rail trails can also serve as critical transportation connections, especially in rural areas which lack alternatives to private vehicle ownership," notes Gordon. While the Eastern Shore project has a long way to go, a Virginia Department of Transportation study has been in the works and federal approval to abandon the tracks is expected in November.