DAMASCUS, Va. (WJHL) – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine announced on Wednesday that $100,000 in federal funding would be used for repairs along the Virginia Creeper Trail.
A release from Kaine’s office states the funding came from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and is intended to “help rehabilitate the Virginia Creeper Trail.”
According to the release, the funding, as well as other funds from state and local government, will be put to use finishing “urgent repairs to Trestle 31” on the 34-mile trail.
Kaine’s office stated that he wrote a letter to request the funding in July 2022 and visited the Southwest Virginia trail himself in August 2022.
“I’ve hiked the Virginia Creeper Trail many times, and I know how critical it is for community recreation and the local economy,” Kaine said in the release. “I’m glad these federal dollars are going to repair a trestle along the Virginia Creeper Trail to help ensure visitors can enjoy it for generations to come.”
The ARC stated in an email to News Channel 11 that the repairs will allow the trail to stay open and continue in its role as a “primary revenue generator for the towns of Damascus and Abingdon.”
“The outdoor recreation industry plays an integral role in economic growth opportunities throughout the Appalachian region,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin in a statement. “ARC is pleased to work with our local, state, and federal partners to fund projects like the Virginia Creeper Trail repair, which not only give residents and visitors access to nature, but also bolster traffic to surrounding businesses.”
