Regional Rail-Trail Corridor Seeks Public Input

A project to create a continuous rail trail from Parkersburg to Pittsburgh is seeking public input.  

 The Parkersburg to Pittsburgh (P2P) Corridor plans to link six existing and emerging rail-trails into a continuous 180-mile corridor across Pennsylvania and West Virginia:  

• The North Bend Rail-Trail (WV)  

•  Harrison North Rail-Trail (WV)  

• West Fork River Rail-Trail (WV)  

• MCTrail (WV) 

• Mon River Rail-Trail (WV)  

• Sheepskin Trail (PA) 

The National Road Heritage Corridor (NRHC) and seven partner organizations are calling on residents, local leaders, business owners and trail users across the two states to attend upcoming community meetings to share their ideas and help shape the future of the corridor.  

Organizers say community engagement is an important part of the overall planning process to create a regional master plan.  

From April 29 to May 20 six meetings will be held in: 

• Ritchie County, West Virginia Wednesday, April 29 North Bend State Park Lodge Co-hosts: North Bend State Park, North Bend Rails-to-Trails Foundation, Inc., and North Bend Rail Trail State Park  

• Doddridge County, West Virginia Wednesday, May 6 Doddridge County Park Co-hosts: Doddridge County Economic Development Authority, North Bend Rails-to-Trails Foundation, Inc., and North Bend Rail Trail State Park  

• Harrison County, West Virginia Thursday, May 7 Harrison County Recreation Complex Co-hosts: Harrison County Parks & Recreation, Harrison Recreational Trails, North Bend Rails-to-Trails Foundation, Inc., and North Bend Rail Trail State Park  

• Wood County, West Virginia Wednesday, May 13 Wood County Resiliency Center Co-hosts: Greater Parkersburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, North Bend Rails-to-Trails Foundation, Inc., and North Bend Rail Trail State Park  

• Marion & Monongalia Counties, West Virginia (combined meeting) Tuesday, May 19 Fairmont State University, Turley Student Services Center, Room 106 Co-hosts: City of Fairmont, Mon River Trails Conservancy, and Fairmont State University  

• Fayette County, Pennsylvania Wednesday, May 20 South Union Township Sports Complex Co-hosts: Fayette Trails Coalition, National Road Heritage Corridor, and the Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy 

All meetings will be held from 5:30-7:00 p.m. with a meal provided. Each meeting will include a presentation on the master plan project and discussions about how trails can better serve local communities.  

The project is funded through a multi-state Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) ARISE grant designed to position a 9-county region in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to fully leverage the P2P Corridor for community and economic benefit. 

More information on the spring meetings and a meeting registration form are available at www.p2pcorridor.org.