The Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission is hosting multiple meetings to receive public input on updating the conceptual greenway plans, and one of the meetings on regional connectivity is Tuesday, March 21 at Greenfield Education and Training Center near Daleville.
Botetourt County was accepted into the Greenway Commission last year, and the March 21 meeting is an opportunity for county residents to provide input on how the Roanoke Valley greenways connect to planned greenways in Botetourt.
The Botetourt Board of Supervisors approved a $75,000 contract for the phase 1 design for a greenway to connect Catawba Road and Daleville Town Center with Botetourt Center at Greenfield a year ago. The funds are part of a $476,000 000 Virginia Department of Transportation MAP-21 Alternative Transportation Program matching grant that will be used to build the greenway that’s not to exceed $595,438 in total cost.
The county had hoped to start construction last fall, but right-of-way easements on private property have stalled the project. The greenway will be an improved surface trail designed to accommodate pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
The VDOT grant has to be spent by October 2019.
Daleville Greenway will connect various residential, recreational, commercial and educational amenities along the US 220 corridor.
The greenway public input meeting at Greenfield starts at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation on the history and status of the greenway program in the Roanoke Valley. After the presentation, participants will rotate through stations to provide input on routes, priorities, issues and opportunities.
The Roanoke Valley greenway plan was last updated in 2007. The updated plan will include any proposed plans for greenways in Botetourt.
Since 2007, over 200 miles of greenways and trails have been added to the Roanoke Valley network.
When Botetourt joined the Greenway Commission last year, 2016, over 230 miles of trails and blueways were added.
“The Roanoke Valley has truly embraced greenways,” said Liz Belcher, the Greenway coordinator. “Greenways are now important to our quality of life, our economic development, and the social fabric of our communities.”
The Greenway Commission includes the Cities of Roanoke and Salem, Town of Vinton, and the Counties of Roanoke and Botetourt. The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission is assisting with this update.
Another regional public input meeting is scheduled Thursday, March 30 at Fishburn Elementary School in Roanoke.
There will also be four locality meetings for more specific input on routes. They are:
• Monday, March 27 at Mountain View Elementary School
• Monday, April 3 at South County Library
• Thursday, April 6 at Glenvar Middle School
• Monday, April 10 at Vinton War Memorial
For further information, go to www.greenways.org. Provide input through a survey at https://tinyurl.com/gl2u5ve.
