On Thursday night and Friday morning, about 150 people are expected to gather at the Wool Factory in Charlottesville to talk about the Three Notch’d Trail.
“It will be a shared use path for a walking, biking, hiking, pushing a stroller – whatever you want to do from Charlottesville all the way to the Blue Ridge Tunnel and Skyline Drive,” says Peter Krebs with the Piedmont Environmental Council.
He notes officials got a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to choose a route and draw up plans.
“This will get to literal shovel-ready drawings that can be submitted for funding from any number of sources," he explains.
“It’ll probably be paved. It’ll probably be at least eight feet wide. The idea is that it will be for anyone from age 8 to 80 will be able to use safely.”
Speakers at this week’s conference will include representatives from other trails that have boosted local economies and provided new recreational opportunities on the east coast, in Richmond, Petersburg and other communities along their routes. Krebs says participants will also explore other ideas to support hikers, bikers, walkers and runners in Virginia.
The conference is free, but participants must register to attend. Organizers say all 150 seats are spoken for, but they have a waiting list and believe they will be able to accommodate those on that list. To add your name, click here.
