麻花视频

The first of two public information sessions put on by the Virginia Department of Transportation was a chance for residents to weigh in for or against the trail and to question planners about specific points of the plans generated so far. It was also an opportunity for the project鈥檚 supporters and detractors to continue a dialogue whose roots go back decades.

The second public information meeting is Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Craig County High School in New Castle. Highway department officials plan to display maps of the Craig Botetourt Scenic Trail鈥檚 26-mile path along a former railroad right-of-way, have staff available to answer questions, and collect written comments about the trail.

The state also is collecting comments through an online survey that is open through Oct. 1. It can be found at the highway department鈥檚 information page about the trail at .

All the comments will feed into an ongoing planning process, officials said Wednesday. What happens next with the trail depends on legislators鈥� funding decisions. The Virginia budget approved this month by the General Assembly included $12.5 million earmarked for the Craig Botetourt trail.

Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, who has championed the trail, said that it is too soon to know how much the total cost of the project might be or when it might be built. At the earliest, trail construction could begin about a year from now, Austin said Wednesday.

Facing constituents on both sides of the trail debate at the information session, Austin described the project as a possibility that he supported but whose fate ultimately rested with others聽鈥� particularly the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which allocates money for building roads or trails.

鈥淲e have to be a destination. 鈥� I think it creates opportunity in New Castle and Eagle Rock,鈥� Austin said. 鈥溾�� There鈥檚 nothing wrong with considering it,鈥� he added.

Discussion of possibilities for the state-owned right-of-way, acquired in 1961 after the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad ceased operating trains on the line, have gone on for years but only occasionally flared into wider notice. About 20 years ago, a proposal to develop a trail that would follow Craig Creek between New Castle and Eagle Rock was studied聽鈥� but never reached a construction phase as opponents in both counties mounted a campaign against the path.

Still, the idea of a Craig Botetourt trail continued to feature in some regional economic development wish lists, pitched as a tourism draw and boost to the area鈥檚 recreation offerings. Early this year, the trail returned to the spotlight as the General Assembly placed it on a list of five trail projects toward which it was directing planning money.

In Botetourt County, opponents formed a group called DeRail the Trail to air worries that the trail would change the rural character of the areas it passed through, that it represented wasteful government spending, and that it would increase crime and decrease safety on sections of the right-of-way that already were developed as secondary roads.

On Wednesday, DeRail the Trail had its own extensive display of maps and photos set up outside the elementary school where the state meeting was held. Indoors, a few minutes after the session began, 10 people wore the DeRail group鈥檚 bright green T-shirts or hats among about 100 people crowding into the school cafeteria.

It was difficult to gauge how many trail critics or boosters were present and there was no immediate tally of the comments that people wrote out and dropped through the slot in a wooden box for highway department staff to collect.

Jeff Martin, 58, of Fincastle, described himself as a member of 鈥淭eam Trail鈥� and said that as a regular bicyclist, he hoped for a new path that he could ride with his grandchildren. The son of a C&O worker, Martin said he also saw the trail鈥檚 rail history as a possible tourism magnet.

Martin鈥檚 friend and fellow cyclist Alan Staton of Covington said that he thought opponents were mistaken to fear that a trail would bring swarms of new riders and hikers.

鈥淭hey envision the Tour de France peloton passing their house four or five times a day. It鈥檚 just not going to be like that,鈥� Staton said.

Barbara Duerk of the Virginia Bicycling Federation said that she was glad the Craig Botetourt trail was getting another look after 20 years. Duerk said that she was excited by the possibilities of eventually linking the trail to a regional network extending to 麻花视频, Salem and the New River Valley.

But Debbie Norris said there were dangers that were not being acknowledged and benefits that were being exaggerated.

Wearing a DeRail shirt, Norris stood in front of one of the trail corridor maps and argued with a woman who was more in favor of the project, with Norris taking the position that any economic gains would be felt in 麻花视频 or other, larger places. Trail visitors could not buy anything in Oriskany, where she lived, Norris said.

After the tense exchange ebbed, Norris sat at one of the cafeteria tables and said that she moved to Botetourt County 7 1/2 months ago after her husband accepted a ministry position. The trail proposal 鈥渇eels like an invasion,鈥� both to her and to neighbors that have lived there longer, Norris said.

鈥淧eople feel very vulnerable. I feel very vulnerable. And no one takes that into account,鈥� Norris said.