The annual Virginia Land Conservation & Greenways Conference (VAULT) meeting in Newport News this past April had a dedicated track for discussing trails. That annual get-together offers a rare opportunity for large and small trail organizations across Virgina to schmooze.
The Greater Prince William Trails Coalition (GPWTC) has participated in the VAULT conference for the past three years.
After the conference, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) took action. It proposed hosting a statewide trails meeting in 2027 and circulated a survey asking trails groups for recommendations on timing, location, and content.
For the past few years, the GPWTC has focused on integrating recreational and active mobility trails planning by multiple agencies. The largest funding source for trails recently has been the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA), which just approved $75 million for two trail projects.
The Department of Transportation and Capital Construction (DTCC, as recently renamed) takes the lead in preparing grant applications for mobility projects in Prince William County. Starting in FY27, DTCC is responsible for constructing major trail projects such as the Powells Creelk Crossing.
Here are the comments submitted by the GPWTC to the Department of Conservation and Recreation survey. They reflect a desire to mesh trails planning, funding, construction, and operations/maintenance of recreational trails within parks/greenways together with shared use paths alongside paved roads. Enhancing mobility to create live-work-plan communities involves integrating sidewalks and crosswalks into a connected network with natural surface paths for walking in the woods.
How would a trails summit meeting best meet your needs and those of your organization?
An annual statewide trails summit would increase the ability of the Greater Prince William Trails Coalition to identify and coordinate with other groups which share similar objectives, so we could partner more effectively in dealing with statewide opportunities and issues.
Invitations should be directed to organizations who engage with the different state government agencies which host land and water trails, including Virginia State Parks, Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Virginia Outdoors Foundation, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Department of Wildlife Resources, and Department of Forestry.
Equivalent Federal agencies should also be invited. Trails on Federal land, such as the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail in Prince William Forest Park, are connected with trails on local, state, and private land.
Interest groups, like government agencies, would benefit from a meeting intended to break down silos. The scope of a statewide trails plan, including its map products, should include paved shared use paths built/maintained by VDOT and natural surface trails in parks, forests, refuges, etc. Issues such as Safe Routes to Schools, e-bike regulations, trail design standards, and enhancing sustainability by reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) cut across organizational lines.
A statewide trails summit should bring together representatives from the tourism, economic development, and health communities as well as the traditional advocates for trails. A statewide trails program should address the planning, funding, and construction of a bike/pedestrian network of trails for both mobility and recreation, including equestrian and water trails. Those interested in off-road trails for e-motos and off-highway vehicles should be encouraged to participate.
Of course, the new Director of Outdoor Recreation should participate.
What are the main challenges that your trail organization faces?
– coordinating planning and operations across jurisdictional boundaries so trails are planned, built, and maintained in a logical pattern
– obtaining funding for construction and maintenance
– obtaining government permits for construction, particularly at water crossings
– crossing railroads
Is a statewide trail summit something you would attend?
Yes.
Format
The format being planned as of now is a one day event with a plenary session and possible concurrent sessions. If you would like to see something different please let us know what type of format you would prefer:
Prefer in-person meeting be organized around attendees reaching consensus on specific issues which state agencies are prepared to address in next 12-36 months.
The trails track at the annual Virginia Land Conservation & Greenways (VAULT) conference is valuable, but should *not* be the model. A different structure is needed to facilitate discussions that leads to decisions and establishing priorities. Participants will have different perspectives, so in-person engagement is needed.
Presentations and the necessary information sharing by speakers should be delivered online a week before the meeting. The day before the conference should include optional field trips, facilitating the development and deepening of interpersonal relationships.
An opening plenary session in a one-day conference should be presented by a decisionmaker in state government. Concurrent sessions throughout the day should be designed to address a particular opportunity or issue which state agencies could address. The same person who speaks at the plenary session should lead a final session for everyone and highlight in their presentation “here’s what we heard, and here’s what we will be working on for the next year as a result…”
If there were breakout concurrent sessions as part of the summit, please indicate what subject matter could be covered in these sessions:
1) What are appropriate criteria and weighting of different factors for prioritizing trail projects, if significant state funding becomes available for expanding the bike/pedestrian network
2) How to create a statewide map showing existing and planned public trails, down to the county/city/town level.
People with a mountain bike or childcare stroller, business travelers looking for a chance to get outdoors briefly, and many others need a guide to find an appropriate place to go. The state should maintain a regularly-updated online map targeted at bikers/pedestrians (and suitable for export to Google., All Trails, etc.) with key details, such as a trail’s surface type. The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) map [https://www.thenovaauthority.org/transportation-planning/long-range-plan/transaction ] provides an example. All public trails, including those managed by different state agencies and on private land but open to the public, should be included on the map.
3) How to encourage appropriate use of e-bikes on public trails
4) How to train a new generation of bike/pedestrian trail users in appropriate behavior, including use of traffic gardens in schools
5) How to initiate/enhance a Safe Routes to School program
6) How to obtain approval to crossing railroad tracks
7) How the annual VDOT repaving program can be used to improve the bike/pedestrian network
8) How to get trails managed by VDOT to be maintained, including after winter storms
9) How to ensure VDOT maintenance projects are consistent with local plans for new trails, and do not create surprises that constrain future trail construction (especially at bridges)
10) How to maximize opportunities for Federal, state, and regional transportation funding to implement bike/pedestrian plans approved by local jurisdictions
11) How to incorporate trails more completely in the next Virginia Outdoors Plan and any future action by General Assembly to designate trails
12) How to quantify economic benefits of trails
13) How to quantify health benefits of trails
14) How to incorporate trails into a Community Health Assessment (CHA) and Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP)… and why bother with that effort
Do you have any suggestions for plenary speakers/topics?
– Director of Outdoor Recreation, with topic being “what projects can we complete by December 2029?”
Location
Preferred Location for a Summit (you can choose up to two) – Please select at most 2 options.
Roanoke, Fredericksburg
Date
As soon as possible