Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 20, 1991 TAG: 9102200169
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The committee overseeing the project has scheduled its first meeting for today at 4 p.m. in the first floor conference room of the Blacksburg Municipal Building.
The committee is called PATH - People Advocating the Huckleberry.
"We're going to work on the design, planning, funding and development of the Huckleberry," said Susan Swain, a county planner who has been involved with the project since September 1989. "We're going to be working to get this plan implemented as quickly as we can."
The Huckleberry Trail is an abandoned railroad bed that once ran between the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg. After the railroad line was abandoned, the land was deeded to Blacksburg and Montgomery County.
Over the years, there has been much discussion about converting the old right of way to a park.
Swain said the Virginia Tech chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers approached Blacksburg and the county with plans to renovate the old line to a trail for recreation and as an alternative to driving between the towns.
Because of the society's interest, the county's Parks and Recreation and Planning departments got involved and recommended placing the project on the county's Bikeway/Walkway Plan, which is part of Montgomery County's Comprehensive Plan.
The county approved it, and since then the project has become its top priority. The Huckleberry Trail is one of 10 trails and lanes scheduled to be renovated or created.
"It's been slow progress so far," said Fred Umberger, a PATH committee member who represents the county's bikeway committee. "Now we're getting momentum and the ball is starting to roll."
Umberger, who rides his bike about nine miles to work three times a week, is the only Christiansburg representative on the committee. He hopes to get the Huckleberry Trail extended into Christiansburg, but needs more support from residents.
"There are more hikers than bikers in Christiansburg and we need to get together to support this project," Umberger said.
PATH was recommended by the county Planning Commission to the county supervisors. The supervisors authorized their administrator in November to form the committee. It is comprised of 10 representatives from Virginia Tech, the two towns and the county, and the civil engineering society.
"The trail provides an opportunity to tie the two towns together and improve the traffic situation," said PATH member Ken Anderson, president of Anderson & Associates and a member of the Blacksburg Bikeway Committee. "It could be a nice additional recreational facility. In good weather there are a lot of people walking on it already."
Today's meeting is open to the public, but membership is limited to the 10 members. However, anyone can call to be placed on future agendas.
"We'll let the committee decide how they want to organize," Swain said. "And we're hoping to work with other groups in the future that want to be involved for recreational or economic development reasons."
To be placed on a mailing list, the agenda or for information, call Swain at 382-5750.
by CNB