Trails Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Hiring Retired School Bus Drivers, Enhancing State Trail Network Recreation Passed Become Law

Noting a statewide shortage of school bus drivers, on day 60 of the 2023 Legislative Session, the House of Delegates passed House Bill 2346 to ease the pressure.

The bill allows retired bus operators to work as substitutes in areas of critical need and maintain their pensions and other retirement benefits, provided they continue to qualify as licensed school bus operators

However, anyone who retires and begins work as a substitute bus operator within the same fiscal year in which that person retired shall lose their retirement benefits attributed to the annuity reserve.

The retired bus operators hired as substitutes are considered day-to-day, temporary, part-time employees and not eligible for additional pension or other benefits.

The bill heads to the governor for his signature. All provisions of the bill will expire on June 30, 2028.

Trail Network

House Bill 3147 creates the Upper Ohio Valley Trail Network Recreation Authority.

The bill notes the opportunity to provide trail-oriented recreation facilities primarily on private property in the Potomac Highlands and north central West Virginia. Anticipated potential for the trail network includes increased tourism similar to whitewater rafting, snow skiing, and ATV trail riding.

The bill creates a contiguous trail system that connects to the Elk River Trail, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal TowPath and any other trails in adjacent neighboring states that can be feasibly connected.

The measure provides for a governing body. expenses and protection for private landowners.

This bill also goes to the governor for signature

Legislators Hear About Increased ATV, UTV Infrastructure Needs During Interims

In a Sunday meeting, members of the state legislature’s Select Committee on Infrastructure heard about connecting more West Virginia towns with roads meant for outdoor vehicles like All Terrain Vehicles, or ATVs.

“In southern West Virginia, those ATVs have become a second mode of transportation,” executive director of the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority Jeffery Lusk said. “Families that only had one car have oftentimes taken the onus to get their units licensed so that they can be on the road. And it’s given them a second mode of transportation.

Despite the increasing popularity in the region, some of the state’s ATV trails aren’t connected to local towns. Riders and tourists regularly use state highways instead, causing safety concerns.

Lusk said more of these roads would also help connect even more towns in southern West Virginia to the state’s outdoor tourism economy. More than 94,464 riders visited the Hatfield-McCoy trail system in 2021, with 80 percent of riders from out of state.

“These towns have built up restaurants, lodging, ATV rental companies around the fact that we connect to the towns,” Lusk said.

Also present at the meeting was James Ratino of the Maryland Off-Highway Vehicle Alliance. He said revitalizing local economies by rebranding them into “trail towns” is a regional effort, with many communities in western Maryland sharing much in common with those in West Virginia.

“Locally, this has helped this town of Kitzmiller with some serious revitalization. They’re replacing lost jobs,” Ratino said.

Del. John Hardy, R-Berkeley, expressed interest in a potential economic impact study on more outdoor vehicle infrastructure for the next legislative session. Seventeen towns in the state are currently connected to the Hatfield-McCoy trail system.

Legislators Discuss Improvements To Rail-Trails

At the West Virginia Legislature’s third interim meetings of the year, lawmakers heard about efforts to improve the state’s rail-trail networks.

At the West Virginia Legislature’s third interim meetings of the year, lawmakers heard about efforts to improve the state’s rail-trail networks. Rail-trails refer to public, shared use paths built on a railway’s right of way, often after the railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed.

The Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Subcommittee met in Charleston Sunday evening.

Assistant Commissioner of Highways Rita Pauley gave an overview of the system, saying there were close to 70 rail-trails across the state. She also discussed legislative activity to expand the system.

“It all comes down to what would be safe to develop and what the railroads are willing to allow because it’s their property,” Pauley said.

Senate Bill 588 dealt with rail line liability and also proposed updating the West Virginia Rail Trails Program with a “rail with trail” system that would develop public trails next to active rail lines.

Representatives from railroad companies CSX and Norfolk Southern were opposed to the idea, telling the subcommittee that inviting the public so close to active trains was inviting injury and possibly death.

“To impose the burden of people using a non motorized right of way next to an active rail line is a really tough burden and a tough threshold for the railroads to accept,” said Pat McCune, an independent public affairs consultant for CSX Rail. “There’s too much risk even with a certain amount of indemnification.”

The bill had widespread support in both chambers, but failed to pass before the end of the legislation’s regular session.

Funding For Trails, Sidewalks, Bike Paths Announced In W.Va.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has announced more than $8.3 million in projects for recreational trails, sidewalks, and biking and walking paths.

The 29 improvement projects in 21 counties will be funded by the Federal Highway Administration.

“This program will provide millions of dollars that is going to be put to work making our cities and towns easier to get around and making our beautiful park trails even more appealing and accessible to West Virginians of all abilities,” Justice said in a statement Monday.

The projects include nearly $1.1 million for sidewalk replacement in the city of Martinsburg, $934,000 for a bike and pedestrian path in Barboursville Park in Cabell County, and nearly $660,000 for replacement sidewalks in the Boone County community of Madison.

Other funding includes improvements along the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System and the Greenbrier River Trail, new bike trails within Cacapon State Park and the construction of boardwalk and observation areas along a trail within Twin Falls Resort Park.

Opening of Beckley Trail Gives Hikers New Place to Explore

Hikers now have new grounds to trek with the opening of a trail in Beckley.

WVNS-TV reports the Grey Flat Trails, located behind the Paul Cline Memorial Soccer Field, was recently designed by Gary Moorefield.

Mayor Rob Rappold recognized Moorefield for his volunteer work before hikers took to the trails Sunday afternoon. Moorefield spent his time creating the trail so the community could have a place to explore.

Raleigh County Historical Society President Tom Sopher says he loves learning the history the backyards of Beckley have to offer.

Sopher, who described walking the new trails as peaceful and calm, was one of about 60 hikers who captured its serenity and also got in some exercise.