2 national forests in Va receive funds for trails - Newsday [Archive] - WhiteBlaze

WhiteBlaze

07-23-2009, 10:00

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="7" style="vertical-align:top;"><tr><td width="80" align="center" valign="top"></td><td valign="top" class="j"> <div style="padding-top:0.8em;"><img alt="" height="1" width="1" /></div><div class="lh"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.newsday.com/2-national-forests-in-va-receive-funds-for-trails-1.1321116&usg=AFQjCNEuQKjdV8Qe1IVoP91Y4knCK9zaRw">2 national forests in Va receive funds for trails</a> Newsday Recreation staff officer Ted Coffman says the the two forests have more than 2000 miles of trails, along with about 375 miles of the Appalachian Trail. ... <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/212766&usg=AFQjCNGMdaOMaJPIgbZiewNwir5WC3z83Q">Forests to benefit from $3.3 million in stimulus</a>Roanoke Times <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http://www.bdtonline.com/local/local_story_203165255.html&usg=AFQjCNELoHjoHLb3EgPPt8gjg5Z2TGcNOQ">AFTERNOON UPDATE: Two Va. lawmakers announce $3.2M federal ...</a>Bluefield Daily Telegraph <a class="p" href="http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&ned=us&ncl=dnTcRi1eNUriJCMBytr3BLhfvsAbM">all 6 news articles »</a></div></td></tr></table>

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Skyline

07-23-2009, 11:23

OK, no slogans this time, just facts and applause.

Good to learn that the President's Economic Recovery efforts will see GW and Jefferson National Forests more than triple its trail budgets, at least for this year.

It's a win-win. Jobs now to rebuild bridges and improve the tread on the VA Creeper Trail, and a lasting investment in a trail that will continue to be a boon to the local tourism economy for decades to come.

Also good to know that the AT bridge washed out in '07 south of Bland will be rebuilt, and that new bridges will be built in the Mt. Rogers High Country area on a horse trail (also used by hikers).

CowHead

07-23-2009, 12:06

we should take the nations unemployed bring to the trail and let them do the work, paid them mim wage and that way the be stimulated too.

john gault

07-23-2009, 12:13

We should pay the homeless to remove all the rocks. The rocks should be taken to the landfills because they're not organic, therefore they virtually take forever to decompose. I bet they would last longer on the trail than a plastic bottle. Rocks cause injuries, plastic bottles don't, so they can stay.

Skyline

07-23-2009, 12:58

we should take the nations unemployed bring to the trail and let them do the work, paid them mim wage and that way the be stimulated too.

Well, that's kinda the point of the Economic Recovery Program—put the unemployed back to work and stimulate the economy. But minimum wage? If you've ever done volunteer trail work you know it's hard labor, and to rebuild bridges takes a certain skill level. I say pay the going rate in the construction industry. Not more, not less.

max patch

07-23-2009, 14:12

I biked the Creeper last weekend and there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it to me.

So I read Roanoke Times articles and this is what I learned:

"...The Forest Service maintains 18 miles near Damascus of the 35-mile-long Creeper Trail, which is used by roughly 200,000 hikers, horse riders and mountain bikers every year. The work will make it more wheelchair accessible and help the economies of neighboring communities..."

Sounds to me like the government is pissing away money on fixing something that doesn't need fixing.

Our children and grandchildren are screwed.

Lone Wolf

07-23-2009, 14:20

I biked the Creeper last weekend and there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it to me.

So I read Roanoke Times articles and this is what I learned:

"...The Forest Service maintains 18 miles near Damascus of the 35-mile-long Creeper Trail, which is used by roughly 200,000 hikers, horse riders and mountain bikers every year. The work will make it more wheelchair accessible and help the economies of neighboring communities..."

Sounds to me like the government is pissing away money on fixing something that doesn't need fixing.

Our children and grandchildren are screwed.

a lot of trestles have been upgraded and replaced in the past few years and there are plenty of wheelchair accessible places already. the money could be used elsewhere for sure

CowHead

07-23-2009, 14:25

we should take the nations unemployed bring to the trail and let them do the work, paid them mim wage and that way the be stimulated too.

and

Well, that's kinda the point of the Economic Recovery Program—put the unemployed back to work and stimulate the economy. But minimum wage? If you've ever done volunteer trail work you know it's hard labor, and to rebuild bridges takes a certain skill level. I say pay the going rate in the construction industry. Not more, not less.

my statement was satire so many friends in ohio or lay off and made never get their jobs back, so without getting notice for a pol*+698+++itcal statement i did one anyway... yes every person should get fair paid for their labor.

CowHead

07-23-2009, 14:34

hush we can't get close for pol+698+++itcal statements here.....
http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/900720-amazon-orwell-vmed2p.widec.jpg

Skyline

07-23-2009, 14:53

a lot of trestles have been upgraded and replaced in the past few years and there are plenty of wheelchair accessible places already. the money could be used elsewhere for sure

Sounds like the Economic Recovery dollars are going to finish the job already begun. Not only on the remaining trestles, but also improving the VCT's tread to be more accessible.

I didn't know there were truly wheelchair-accessible trails in SW Virginia. You know, the kind physically challenged folks can get to and use on their own. Where might those be?

Lone Wolf

07-23-2009, 15:59

the VCT's tread to be more accessible.

I didn't know there were truly wheelchair-accessible trails in SW Virginia. You know, the kind physically challenged folks can get to and use on their own. Where might those be?

the VCT is already extremely accessible to wheelchairs, walkers, bike riders and horse riders it's entire length

Nean

07-23-2009, 16:06

we should take the nations unemployed bring to the trail and let them do the work, paid them mim wage and that way the be stimulated too.

I'll leave the details to others but a modern day CCC is a great idea!:)

john gault

07-23-2009, 17:46

Priorities, priorities, priorities! Our infrastructure is falling apart; I'm not just talking about bridges and roads, but the things we don't want to talk about like the sewer systems. Infrastructure is not something that gets lobbied like parks and trails, but when they fail the issue turns political real quick and then everyone forgets about. Remember when that bridge collapsed, Ass -- holes were blaming GW and the money expenditures for the war.

I'll wait and see how the govt. spends money, but lets just say I don't have the greatest of confidence.

Lone Wolf

07-23-2009, 22:14

3.3 million geared for trails is ridiculous. this $$$ should be spent on more pressing matters like care for our current and returning veterans for a start

Skyline

07-24-2009, 00:43

the VCT is already extremely accessible to wheelchairs, walkers, bike riders and horse riders it's entire length
. . . 3.3 million geared for trails is ridiculous. this $$$ should be spent on more pressing matters like care for our current and returning veterans for a start

That's a matter of opinion. Not at the VCT, but elsewhere, I've seen wheelchair-bound guys (vets, coincidentally) struggle tremendously with the kind of large stone gravel found in some Creeper Trail parking lots, as well as the kind of ruts and cinder, plus other natural and man-made barriers sometimes found on the VCT itself. Not saying they could not maneuver some of it—just that they could not do it all without assistance. If you can't do it all, you don't have a truly accessible venue.

Kind of like going to a stadium with lots of wide doors, wheelchair ramps, etc. only to find you can't get your chair into the restroom.

If the USFS has identified places on the VCT that could be improved for the physically challenged, spending Economic Recovery funds to fix them is money wisely spent.

I'm not advocating all our trails, shelters, etc. be accessible. But the VCT is a good candidate for 100% accessibility. That means where a challenged person can maneuver everywhere, solo. Hats off to the Forest managers for identifying VCT as a worthy project, and to our Congress and President for making the funds available.

Ditto if the rest of the trestles need repairs for short or long term stability.

P.S.: I believe there is money coming budgeted by the Obama Administration to help vets.

Skyline

07-24-2009, 00:53

Priorities, priorities, priorities! Our infrastructure is falling apart; I'm not just talking about bridges and roads, but the things we don't want to talk about like the sewer systems. Infrastructure is not something that gets lobbied like parks and trails, but when they fail the issue turns political real quick and then everyone forgets about. Remember when that bridge collapsed, Ass -- holes were blaming GW and the money expenditures for the war.

I'll wait and see how the govt. spends money, but lets just say I don't have the greatest of confidence.

There are many billions in Economic Recovery funds earmarked for infrastructure. Highways, passenger and freight rail, waterways, broadband, bridges, public buildings, etc.

We don't have to choose between infrastructure and trails. We can do both. We have a huge economy to fix, and lots of things that have been neglected too long to also fix. We can and will fix the economy and our infrastructure (even our trails!) at the same time! Our new President and our new Congress inherited a real mess but have rolled up their sleeves, gotten to work, and their efforts are starting to show some results.

It took many years to get where we got; it will take years to get back to some kind of normalcy. The new normal may not look like the old normal, but it will be better than where we were on 1/19/09.

Lemni Skate

07-24-2009, 01:55

I care enough about the trail to join the PATC and the ATC. I volunteer time working on the trails. If one cares enough to use the trail, one ought to care enough to support it. People who don't care about the trails shouldn't have to foot the bill for my choice of recreation.

john gault

07-24-2009, 08:36

There are many billions in Economic Recovery funds earmarked for infrastructure. Highways, passenger and freight rail, waterways, broadband, bridges, public buildings, etc.

We don't have to choose between infrastructure and trails. We can do both. We have a huge economy to fix, and lots of things that have been neglected too long to also fix. We can and will fix the economy and our infrastructure (even our trails!) at the same time! Our new President and our new Congress inherited a real mess but have rolled up their sleeves, gotten to work, and their efforts are starting to show some results.

It took many years to get where we got; it will take years to get back to some kind of normalcy. The new normal may not look like the old normal, but it will be better than where we were on 1/19/09.
I'm not anti-Obama and I'm not a Dem/Rep...I see good in both, but I sure as hell don't drink eithers koolaid. Sounds like you need sober up a little.

Skyline

07-24-2009, 10:28

I'm not anti-Obama and I'm not a Dem/Rep...I see good in both, but I sure as hell don't drink eithers koolaid. Sounds like you need sober up a little.

Gee look. It's bait. Not being taken. By anyone.