Allie Hill loves to ride her bike, and she admires cyclists who make the trip from Oregon to Virginia – riding here on Route 76, but she worries about their safety.
“What I’ve heard time and time again from people who take Route 76 cross country is the most dangerous state is Virginia. The rumble strips and the lack of a shoulder and cars going very fast make it incredibly unsafe and unwelcoming.”
She knows only too well how risky a ride can be – having been hit not once but twice by cars.
“Even with flashing lights and bright clothing and everything I can try to do as a cyclist, unfortunately sometimes people are paying more attention to their cell phones than the road or not thinking about sharing the road.”
So Hill was thrilled when she heard that the federal government was sending money to plan a bike trail that would run from Charlottesville to Afton in Nelson County. She immediately volunteered for a citizens’ group to help plan the path -- ten feet wide and separated from the road. Jessica Hersh-Ballering is a senior planner with Albemarle County.
“We’re building for people of all ages and abilities, and I have little kids who like to bike along with me, and I want to make sure that they’re biking on safe facilities.”
Planning Manager Kevin McDermott says the first step is to determine where, exactly, this path should be built.
“This could be something that goes along Route 250 between Crozet and Charlottesville," he says, "or it could possibly be along the railroad that runs generally parallel to 250 or there are other options, like gas lines or water lines where we have easements.”
Hill adds that it’s unlikely to be built all at once.
“We’re hoping to break it up into sections that can be independently constructed. It might be Charlottesville to Ivy or Ivy to Crozet or Crozet to the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
That will probably make it easier to fund a bit at a time, but Hill admits the incremental approach will delay completion.
“I’m kind of hoping my grandchildren will be on this trail," Hill jokes. "The Virginia Capital Trail is 53 miles and it took about 15 years for all of those miles to be constructed.”
But it was worth the wait.
“We notice that the capital trail in Richmond and Williamsburg has drawn a lot of tourist dollars,” McDermott says.
“In a single year the trail brought in approximately $9 million into the community,” Hersh-Ballering adds, “so we’re hoping for similar benefits here.”
McDermott figures demand for a safe way to travel will only grow as new homes are built between Waynesboro and Charlottesville.
“Bicycling is definitely on the rise in our area and when we do our recreation surveys + that is one of the prime things that people are looking for is places to bike and hike.”
Hill hopes the new Three Notched Trail will be popular with commuters on e-bikes, but it’s also expected to serve tourists visiting the newly opened tunnel through Afton Mountain. Albemarle County is now looking for a consultant to help with planning expected to take two years.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
