HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — Delegate Tony Wilt has issued the following statement after
Tuesday’s presentation to the Commonwealth Transportation Board proposing to transfer the
Shenandoah Valley Rail Trail project to the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA), in
partnership with the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. Notably, the proposal appears
to require the existing rail infrastructure to remain in place.

“For more than a decade, there has been broad community interest in putting the
decommissioned Norfolk Southern line from Broadway to Front Royal back into productive use,
most commonly discussed as a recreational trail. After strong local support and early economic
analysis, I was proud to carry the 2021 budget amendment directing DCR to study the feasibility
and benefits of a Shenandoah Valley Rail Trail.

“A small group has continued to advocate for preserving the rail line and promoting a rail-withtrail concept. While I have always remained open to any viable proposal, the most recent VDOT
study estimates that the rail-with-trail alternative would cost more than four times the trail-only
option – nearly $700 million. In addition, the rail-with-trail scenario introduces significant safety
and engineering challenges and would require acquiring additional right-of-way from adjoining
landowners. Furthermore, no credible operator has ever been identified to run such a line or
come forward with a serious proposal, nor has any committed customer base been established.
This raises serious questions about the economic viability of restoring rail service. Overall, the
latest study points to the trail option as a feasible path forward and the one with the broadest
community support.

“The VDOT study also called for public hearings and opportunities for community input
following its release. However, references to these hearings have recently been removed from
the VDOT website, and it appears VDOT no longer intends to carry them out as promised.
“Instead, the Secretary’s office presented a new proposal that has not been publicly vetted, is
inconsistent with the findings of the latest VDOT study, allows no opportunity for competing
proposals, and asks CTB to act within roughly a month without sufficient transparency or public
engagement. Most concerning is that the proposal seems to require that the existing rail
infrastructure remain in place, effectively forcing a rail-with-trail scenario that, as previously
outlined based on the study, poses steep hurdles to success. This provision alone may function as
a poison pill and could prevent any trail infrastructure from ever being developed.

“In the interest of practicing wise stewardship of taxpayer dollars, I strongly urge the VPRA
Board to delay accepting SVRT funds, and similarly I call on the CTB to refrain from advancing
the plan outlined at the December 9 meeting.

“The best path forward in the immediate is for VDOT to complete the public hearings promised
as part of the study. After the conclusion of that process, if the consensus is for an entity other
than the Commonwealth to take over the project and manage or own the corridor, then a
competitive RFP style process should be undertaken so all qualified organizations may submit
proposals. CTB could then select the option that is most viable and most likely to succeed.”