WEIRTON – The Weirton Public Works Department will begin the final phase of asphalt paving on the city’s Panhandle Rail Trail on Monday.
The final phase of paving will complete the asphalt surface of the entire 4.1-mile trail. In all, the project will total more than $300,000 made up from the City of Weirton’s ARPA funds, a West Virginia Department of Highways TAP Grant, grants from the J.C. Williams and Mary Jane Brooks foundations and contributions from the Brooke and Hancock County Commissioners and the Weirton Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners.
“This effort is another fine example of teamwork in the City of Weirton,” Park Board Executive Director Coty Shingle said. “A lot of hard work has gone into this project encompassing multiple departments of the city and financial contributions from the city, state, county and federal governments as well as private charitable funds.”
The first phase of paving was completed in the fall of 2023, followed by a second round of paving in the fall of 2024, which saw the completion of over half the trail’s total distance. The final portion to be paved totals a little less than two miles.
The first step in the process of getting the Panhandle Trail paved was a WV TAP Grant application that was approved back in 2018. Other work on the project includes trail drainage and parking improvements.
“We realize this has been a pretty long journey,” Shingle said. “We applaud the patience of the public and they’ve had to bear with us through a process that began with grant writing efforts way back in 2016 and was slowed by an international pandemic over a period of a couple years.
“The Panhandle Trail has been a work in progress for all of that time and the leadership of each entity involved from the federal level down to the municipal level has been willing to make historically significant accommodations to see this project through to completion, which is a testament to their understanding of how important this recreation facility is to, not just the City of Weirton, but the entire Tri-State Area.”
Shingle added that the Weirton Rail Trail Committee has been a major player in trail maintenance and the advancement of the project for decades, not only contributing to trail maintenance, but assisting with grant writing, administrative work and trail promotion.
“Most people don’t realize there’s a group of dedicated volunteers still handling regular maintenance of the trail, and they’ve been champions and advocates of this project for more than 30 years,” Shingle said. “Their names don’t usually wind up in the media, they aren’t praise nearly as much as they should be, but they come back year after year to make this trail worth the kind of investment you’re seeing now. There wouldn’t even be a rail trail without their efforts dating back to the early 1990’s.”
The Panhandle Rail Trail, located in the city of Weirton and Brooke County, is a part of the West Virginia and U.S. Federal Rails-to-Trails program. It is secured by a 99-year lease held by the City of Weirton through the Weirton Board of Park & Recreation Commissioners, which automatically renews. The City of Weirton and Park Board receive administrative, operational and maintenance assistance from the Weirton Rail Trail Committee.
The Panhandle Trail is one of the most popular recreation outlets in the Tri-State Area. Not only does it serve the residents of Weirton, but many biking, walking and running enthusiasts travel across both the Pennsylvania and Ohio state lines to utilize this trail that is tucked away beautifully in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
The Panhandle Trail connects with the Washington County Trail as part of the Rails To Trails Conservancy (RTC), which is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that works to create a nationwide network of trails by converting former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.
Open from dawn to dusk all year round, the Panhandle Trail provides a safe and well-maintained outlet for those who love to walk, run or bike and enjoy the outdoors as they do so.
The Panhandle Trail, which see thousands of visitors a year, is a major connector of U.S. Bike Route 50, The Great American Trail and the Industrial Heartland Trail. U.S. Bike Route 50 runs from San Francisco, California to Washington, D.C.
