Shenandoah Rail Trail Supporters Applaud CTB Move to Purchase Corridor, Launch Public Engagement

Supporters of the Shenandoah Rail Trail are applauding a decision by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) to move forward with purchasing Norfolk Southern’s unused rail corridor between Broadway and Front Royal.

The CTB voted Tuesday to have the Commonwealth pursue acquisition of the corridor, with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) set to conduct the public engagement process outlined as the final phase of its Phase 3 Rail-With-Trail Assessment study.

The action reverses a January vote that would have transferred $35 million through the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to a private organization for the purchase of the corridor, to be used exclusively for rail-with-trail.

Friends of the Shenandoah Rail Trail welcomed the board’s latest move.

“The CTB’s action restores public accountability and transparency to the decision-making process for this corridor,” said Friends Chair Don Hindman. “We’re grateful that as the Commonwealth moves forward to purchase and protect the corridor itself, public engagement about its future is the next step in the process rather than an afterthought.”

Brandon Davis, Chair of the Shenandoah Rail Trail Exploratory Partnership, said the decision aligns with the group’s long-standing goal of preserving the corridor while exploring responsible interim uses.

“Our goal has always been to preserve the corridor for future rail or technology with a common-sense, fiscally responsible interim use that provides value to the region and the Commonwealth,” Davis said. “The CTB’s action ensures that we can continue to explore viable, collaborative solutions that will achieve that goal.”

Front Royal Voices Support

Front Royal Town Manager Joe Petty also spoke before the board, noting that the Town Council has supported the rail trail concept since 2021. Front Royal would serve as the northern terminus of the proposed 49-mile trail.

Joe Petty, Town Manager of Front Royal, addresses the Commonwealth Transportation Board in support of purchasing the Shenandoah Rail Trail corridor and expanding public engagement about its future.

“We see this 49-mile potential trail providing jobs and providing safe access for our residents and visitors to retail and different amenities throughout our community,” Petty said.

He emphasized Front Royal’s identity as an outdoor destination, calling the trail a natural fit for the community.

“We are a trail town,” Petty said. “We’re home to the Appalachian Trail, the northern terminus of Shenandoah National Park, and we’re the canoe capital of Virginia with the Shenandoah River. This would just be another amazing outdoor asset for Front Royal, for the Shenandoah Valley, and for the Commonwealth as a whole.”

Petty also encouraged continued transparency and collaboration as the process moves forward.

“We encourage further public participation,” he said. “We’ve heard a lot today about transparency and collaboration, and we want to see that carried through, similar to how we operate at the Town of Front Royal. We look forward to participating in that process.”

Next Steps

The 49-mile corridor has been under consideration since 2019, when local governments, regional planning district commissions, and nonprofit organizations formed the Shenandoah Rail Trail Exploratory Partnership to evaluate transforming the unused railroad line into a multi-use trail while preserving it for potential future rail service.

VDOT’s upcoming public engagement process will provide residents, businesses, and stakeholders with an opportunity to weigh in on the corridor’s long-term use before final decisions are made.

Supporters say the CTB’s latest action ensures the corridor remains under public oversight while allowing broader community input into its future.