Henry County Enterprise
  • News
    • Business
    • Community Calendar
    • State News
    • National News
  • Obituaries
  • eEnterprise
  • Classifieds
  • Spiritual
    • The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Parabola
    • Southern Baptist
  • Classifieds
  • Contact
  • Login
Subscribe For $2.50/Month
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Business
    • Community Calendar
    • State News
    • National News
  • Obituaries
  • eEnterprise
  • Classifieds
  • Spiritual
    • The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Parabola
    • Southern Baptist
  • Classifieds
  • Contact
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
Henry County Enterprise
No Result
View All Result
Home Local News

Final stage of Dick & Willie connection could run into delays

June 26, 2020
in Local News
Reading Time: 2 mins read
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Email
 Pictured is the end of the original Dick & Willie Passage Rail Trail.

By Brandon Martin

As the price of materials and skilled labor rise across the country, the cost to complete section 6A of the Dick & Willie Passage Rail Trail could end up carrying a higher price tag than originally expected.

Henry County Engineering Director Tim Pace said the county is still in the process of configuring bid documents to see what construction can be completed under this year’s funding.

“When the economy turned, construction costs across the board went up about 20 percent,” he said of most construction jobs planned by the Public Service Authority.

He said since construction costs have “skyrocketed” that the estimates received so far “would exceed what we have in our budget.”

At the moment, Pace said the county is looking for “what gives us the greatest flexibility to construct as much as possible right away” and then “evaluate if and what could be constructed next fiscal year.”

He said that there are still some “loose ends to tie up” and that “COVID-19 caused setbacks with personnel” and supplies. Pace is hopeful to “be out of bid proposal in early or late fall.”

The beginning of Section 6B at Spruce Street trailhead.

Section 6A will connect the 4.5-mile original trail with Section 6B which runs from a trailhead on Spruce Street down to the Smith River Sports Complex. When 6B was originally constructed at the end of 2019, Pace said that 6A was expected to cost approximately $1.7 million.

In December 2017, The Harvest Foundation awarded nearly $1.4 million in grant funding to Henry County to construct section 6B. Site work began in January 2018, and originally the nature trail was slated to open by the end of that year. Due to weather delays, the project was delayed.

The first 4.5 miles of the trail were built in 2010, after the nonprofit Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) approached Henry County with the idea to turn part of a defunct Norfolk Southern rail line into a nature trail. This section starts at Virginia Avenue in Collinsville and stretches east through the city of Martinsville.

There is a gap of about 2.7 miles between the ending of the original trail at Mulberry Creek, and the newest section 6B.

When Section 6A is completed, the Dick & Willie Passage Rail Trail will encompass 10 miles one way in Martinsville-Henry County.

 

 

 

 

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Email
ShareTweetPin
Previous Post

City council adopts budget, crime report discussed

Next Post

Supervisors appropriate budget, hear details of CSA program

Next Post
Supervisors appropriate budget, hear details of CSA program

Supervisors appropriate budget, hear details of CSA program

Join Our Newsletter

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Business
    • Community Calendar
    • State News
    • National News
  • Obituaries
  • eEnterprise
  • Classifieds
  • Spiritual
    • The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • Parabola
    • Southern Baptist
  • Classifieds
  • Contact
  • Login

© 2020 Mountain Media, LLC

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Email

Forgot your password?

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive mail with link to set new password.

Back to login

Add Henry County Enterprise to your Homescreen!

Add