MORGANTOWN — Heavy spring and summer storms this year left damages on the Mon River and Deckers Creek Rail-Trails.
Ella Belling, executive director of Mon River Trails Conservancy, says repairs are underway and a community fundraiser will help ensure the trails remain open and safe.
“The intense storms in spring and early summer of this year left the rail-trails with storm damage,” said Belling. “There were mudslides, rutted trail surface and over a dozen downed trees across the rail-trails.”
The 48 miles of trails extend from Morgantown north, south and east, but most of the damage was focused on the Deckers Creek Rail-Trail, east of Morgantown, as well as sections inside the city and two miles south of Morgantown on the Mon River Rail-Trail.
Belling credited the help from the City of Morgantown, West Virginia University and volunteers with getting the trails open again.
“I attribute our success at getting the trail welcoming and open again to our strong partnerships and trail-supporting community,” she said.
This fall, they will begin resurfacing work on the Deckers Creek Rail-Trail between the Greer Deckers Creek Plant (mile 9.5) and the Masontown Trailhead (mile 13.5). Repairs are also planned from Opekiska Trailhead (mile 24) to Prickett’s Fort State Park (mile 29) on the Mon River Rail-Trail.
Belling said the damage reflects both the intense storms and increased development that redirects stormwater onto the trail.
“Damage is both the cause of intensity of storms that can overwhelm our culverts and ditch line and also the result of new development around the rail-trails that changes stormwater routes,” she said.
The Mon River Trails Conservancy is turning to its annual fundraiser, the MRTCentury, to help cover costs and prepare for future emergencies.
“Our MRTCentury fundraiser from 2024 helped fund the fixes,” Belling commented.
This fall, on Friday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Oct. 5, 15 solo cyclists and six teams will each attempt to ride more than 100 miles in one day across the Mon River and Deckers Creek Rail-Trails, along with connecting routes in Marion County and Sheepskin Trail.
The “Ride” provides funding for emergency repairs, helps match federal grants, and supports preventative projects like drainage improvements.
“This fundraiser gives us an emergency fund to repair trail, helps us match federal grants, and boosts our capacity to work on preventative measures to keep storms from causing damage,” Belling said.
Many have commented that the rail-trail holds a special place in their heart and will be riding in support of repair costs.
Josh Childs, who remembers when the train tracks were replaced with the rail-trail, says “every generation of my family – from my great grandfather, to my nephews – have benefitted from the trail in so many ways.”
An MRTC board member and co-founder of MRTCentury, Christiaan Abildso, says he will be pedaling to support the fundraising efforts.
Donations and cyclist sponsorships can be made at https://go.rallyup.com/mrtcentury.
