Rails with Trails in PA and maybe one day in the Valley?

Map on the kiosk in York PA at the northern terminus of the Heritage Rail Trail

I always enjoy traveling to other communities and experiencing what sort of bicycle accommodations they have to offer. I took the opportunity this past weekend, while at a wedding in York, PA to ride 20 plus miles of the Heritage Rail Trail that connects York PA to the Maryland state line. Whenever I ride a rail trail or greenway elsewhere I can't help but dream about what it would look like to have something similar here in the Shenandoah Valley. As most of you know, the Shenandoah Valley is bursting with many types of amazing bicycle riding opportunities but we are sorely lacking in shared use paths that are free of traffic. 

The Heritage Rail Trail is a rails with trail concept. A bit different from the other trails I have ridden in that the rail road tracks remain in the corridor and the path was built adjacent to the tracks in the past two decades. This means that you often have to cross the tracks but that doesn't seem to be too much of a problem for your average cyclists on the trail. A few very interesting things that I noticed about the trail during my 40 some mile out and back ride.

1. In 2012, the trail had an estimated 281,145 annual visits, resulting in a total economic impact in 2012 of over $4.4 million into the local economy. This data came mostly from infrared counters. 
2. The trail is a county Park and maintained as such. 
3. Surveys show that the majority of trail users spend over two hours on the trail per visit.
4. Over 40% of trail users learned about the trail through word of mouth.
5. Unsurprisingly, 99% of respondents to the rail trail survey support the construction of additional multi-use trails in York County.

Howard Tunnel built in 1838 and a "250 foot long tunnel named for a Revolutionary War soldier from Baltimore"

While we don't have as many old rail lines in the valley as PA, there is a railroad line that runs through the middle of Harrisonburg. Hopefully one day it will either have a trail adjacent to the line or will be decommissioned and turned into a rail trail. Fingers crossed, it may not be as far off as we think.

Despite an amazing trail experience, the 50 plus road crossings all had these signs. I never saw a single person walk their bicycle on the trail and I wasn't about to get off either. Unfortunately some of these signs are less than 10 years old. Hopefully planners will find better ways to handle these crossings in the future to keep the experience safe without posting ridiculous signs that garner zero compliance.

The Heritage Rail Trail transitions into an urban greenway in downtown York, PA along the the banks of a river that cuts through downtown. This is the only part of the trail that is paved.