Accomplishments

We are extremely thankful for the efforts of Eric Ingbar, founder of Gnomon Inc., for donating his expertise to produce an updated may of the Historic V&T Trail, available here.

We obtained funding for trail wayfinding signage and interpretative panels. On July 22 the E.L. Cord Foundation awarded us $20,000 for trail markers, maps, and interpretive panels. The Ansari Foundation has expressed interest in funding more interpretive panels along the Tahoe Pyramid Trail and Veterans Parkway. Washoe County Parks and Open Space is forming a working group which will include the City of Reno and Sparks Parks, One Truckee River, the Tahoe Pyramid Trail, Truckee Meadows Trails, and the HVTT nonprofits to develop a comprehensive signage plan for the Tahoe Pyramid and Veterans Parkway. Once this plan is developed we will be able to start placing our signs along these sections of the Trail.

We met with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding the old Virginia and Truckee rail bed through the historic Winters Ranch in Pleasant Valley. They are agreeable to this section of rail bed becoming a part of Historic Virginia & Truckee Trail.

Public Information Meetings, Presentations and Events

• Presentation to the Washoe Valley Forum July 26
• Presentation at Dangberg Ranch historic site August 17
• Participation in Truckee Meadows Planning Agency One Region event at San Rafael Park, Reno August 17
• Participation in the Carson City Source Water Assessment Day September 14
• Bicycle/pedestrian counts at the Chocolate Factory conducted July 27, August 31 and September 28; the purpose of the counts is to identify the need for multi-use path along ALT 395
• Along with The Nature Conservancy, presentation before the State Public Works Department regarding the the need to increase funding for the Conserve Nevada Grant

Funding/Grants

Federal Grant Sought

On July 17, the Washoe County Parks and Open Space submitted an Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) Grant application for $950,000 on our behalf. This is a Federal Grant for planning and design for approximately two miles of new public shared-use path, a trailhead parking area, two bridge crossings, and safety improvements along one-half mile of Geiger Grade Road.

The goals of the project are to provide a safe connection for alternative transportation users from Veterans Parkway south to Old U.S. 395 (US-395 A) and for this shared-use path to become a designated section of the Historic Virginia & Truckee Trail. This path would bypass the ALT 395/Mt Rose intersection and the Geiger Roundabout for bicyclists and pedestrians. This would also pave a sewer line right of way that east of ALT 395 that will provide a safe off road bicycle and pedestrian route.

Trail Extension near Geiger Grade Road

The Conservation Fund received $193,000 from the Conserve Nevada Grant to purchase 13.47 acres of land, just south of the Geiger Grade road above, to protect Steamboat Buckwheat, an endangered species. The Fund has expressed interest in having the HV&TT work with them to have their section of that sewer line paved to become a continuation of the Historic Virginia & Truckee Trail. Once completed this would be approximately 4 miles of multi-use path along the east side of ALT 395.

Grant Application to NV Energy

On August 27, we submitted a grant application to NV Energy for $14,725 for wayfinding/map panels for Carson City. They unfortunately denied our request.

Upcoming Activities

November 15, Conference of the Eastern Sierra Trails Commission (ESTC) Please join us; theme: Building Community through Recreation Planning

November 5, Board of Directors meeting, if interested in attending please contact us.