Virginia State Trails Office

About the Office:

The State Trails Office is an interdepartmental office housed at the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The General Assembly through the June 2022 State Budget process instructed VDOT to establish a State Trails Office and directed the office to:

• Develop a State Trails Plan and State Trails Information Clearinghouse consistent with recommendations in the January 2022 Report of Virginia Multi-Use Trails Initiative.
• Coordinate with the State Trails Advisory Committee (STAC) and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Activities:

• The State Trails office has begun working on the following items:
• Developing a Statewide Trails Plan that will help inform the development of connected, safe, and accessible trail networks throughout Virginia.
• Developing a trails clearinghouse or “Trails Resource Hub” to serve as a one-stop-shop for trails related. 
• Supporting VDOT Districts with implementing the five General Assembly identified trails.
• Collaborating with other VDOT Departments and State, Regional and Local Agencies.

Project Status:

• Statewide Trails Plan: Planning Phase

  Virginia’s Statewide Trails Plan will lay the groundwork for a network of multi-use trails in the Commonwealth.

• The Statewide Trails Plan will:

  • Inventory existing and proposed multi-use trails in the Commonwealth
  • Identify key gaps in Virginia’s network of multi-use trails
  • Outline the next steps and best practices in multi-use trail development
  • Provide opportunities for community visioning
  • The Statewide Trails Plan is focused on multi-use trails. Key features of a multi-use trail are:
  • 

Get Involved

Fall Engagement Opportunities

Public participation is a critical part of the planning process, The State Trails Office will be holding three virtual, regional public forums for engagement on the State Trails Plan. The dates and times are below. Please use the link that works best for you to register for any one of the three online forums.

• Virtual Town Hall #1: Monday, October 30th (6:00 PM-7:30 PM): Western Districts- Briston, Salem, Staunton, and Lynchburg
• Virtual Town Hall #2: Wednesday, November 1st (6:30 PM-8:00 PM): Northern Districts -Northern Virginia, Culpeper, and Fredericksburg
• Virtual Town Hall #3: Thursday, November 2nd (6:00 PM-7:30 PM): Eastern Districts - Richmond and Hampton Roads

Take the Online Survey

Sign up to receive updates for the sign-up form provided below:

General Assembly Identified Trails

State Trails Office:

• • 
  • Torsha Bhattacharya
  • Program Manager, State Trails Office, Local Assistance Division

For more information regarding the trail planning process or to reach the State Trails Office please email us at [email protected].