Happy 2012 to all our members and supporters! We saw tremendous progress in 2011 towards bringing the Vine Trail vision to reality. See some of the year’s highlights plus a look ahead in this Winter 2012 newsletter. Have you signed up to receive our E-News yet? Just add your name at the link to your right. And don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook for even more timely news about the Vine Trail.

NAPA VALLEY VINE TRAIL COALITION       WALK   RIDE   LIVE   2012 WINTER QUARTERLY E-NEWS  GROW   MOVE   LAND  Happy 2012 to all our members and supporters!       WHO WE ARE The Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition is a community-supported nonprofit working to create a continuous 44-mile walking/biking trail system connecting the Napa Valley like never before—from the Vallejo Ferry Terminal to the foot of Mt. St. Helena in Calistoga. Together we are building a Napa Valley future that is safer, greener, healthier, more economically vital…and more FUN for people of all ages and abilities.    ONE TRAIL…CONNECTING PEOPLE & PLACES, CULTURE & COMMERCE, RESIDENTS & VISITORS. 2011 ACCOMPLISHMENTS  Our 3rd year saw tremendous progress towards bringing the Vine Trail vision to reality—and we couldn’t have done it without our amazing  members and supporters! See some of the year’s highlights below. Big appreciation to our hardworking board and committees–Route, Capital Campaign, Marketing/Business Partnerships–for your time, creativity, and dedication. 2012 OUTLOOK NEW CONSTRUCTION: After the excitement of two ribbon cuttings in October 2010, we are finally looking forward to more construction in 2012! This section, along Solano Avenue, will connect the Yountville Mile south toward the existing Napa Commuter Trail, which crosses over Hwy 29, paralleling the Wine Train tracks,  into downtown Napa near the Oxbow. FEDERAL POLICY: 2012 promises some serious challenges to federal funding assistance for active transportation–safe pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. We will keep you informed of developments and might ask your help several times this year to write or sign letters to key decision makers. VINE TRAIL OUTREACH & PRESENTATIONS: In 2011, the Vine Trail set up tables and shared our vision with thousands of folks at gatherings such as Cheers! St. Helena, Harvest Festivals, Oxbow Locals Night, and with speaker presentations for service clubs and professional gatherings. If YOU have a suggestion of an event for us to calendar or would like to help us organize speaking to your group or event, please contact Shannon@vinetrail.org.    DONATE OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP The Vine Trail’s ranks of members and supporters have grown to over 5,000 since we started in 2008. THANK YOU for your support and advocacy! Your dollars and volunteer hours are at the core of our ability to bring this ambitious plan to reality. PLEASE CONSIDER A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TODAY TO BECOME A MEMBER OR CONTINUE YOUR ACTIVE SUPPORT OF THE NAPA VALLEY VINE TRAIL.  We also greatly appreciate our business partner donations through such programs as Patagonia’s 1% For the Planet (THANKS Sportago, A Man’s Store, Massican Winery and more!) orNapa Valley Coffee Roasting Company’sdelicious custom “Vine Trail BLAZER Blend” availableonline or in the Napa or St Helena stores. Our capital campaign to raise $20 million in private funding is kicking into high gear in 2012. If you know someone or some group we should reach out to for major gifts, please let us know! You may donate directly to the Vine Trail with your credit card or Paypal account.  More info here or contact Operations Director Shannon Kuleto, shannon@vinetrail.org http://vinetrail.org/advocate/donate/ P.O. Box 93, Saint Helena, CA 94574       Charitable Tax ID 26-3426758 THE YOUNTVILLE MILE, the Vine Trail’s first completed portion, hosted many users and events in 2011 to rave reviews. We even welcomed federal Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Congressman Mike Thompson for a site visit in May where the secretary delivered remarks on the importance of bike and pedestrian trail funding and took a walking tour of the “Yountville Mile.”  VINE TRAIL WINS $2.5 MILLION IN FEDERAL TCSP FUNDING In August 2011, we were thrilled to make the grade in a tough national competition for federal funds.  These dollars, in combination with other funds, including Vine Trail philanthropic donations, will allow Napa County to begin building the Vine Trail to connect Yountville to the City of Napa along Solano Avenue.  “This grant provides the pivotal funding to connect 60% of Napa County’s population together between Yountville and the City of Napa on a safe walking and biking trail separated from Highway 29,” said Vine Trail Executive Director Chuck McMinn.  WE HOPE FOR GROUNDBREAKING LATE SPRING 2012 ALONG SOLANO. ROUTE ALIGNMENT The Engineering Committee, ably led by trail planner Philip Sales, worked long volunteer hours in 2011 and will be rolling out results in 2012, including section maps, a design manual, kiosk/rest stop design (special thanks to the work of design firm 38 Spatial), more finely tuned cost estimates & other details. The Vine Trail is being designed in full cooperation with all the Valley’s communities, governments and the Ag Preserve. It is the key connector in the Napa Countywide Bicycle Plan (NCTPA) and the Napa Valley Trails Master Plan (NCRPOSD). 44-MILES DIVIDED INTO TEN AVA/CITY SECTIONS The Napa Valley is world-famous, above all, for its vineyards and their appellations.  To reflect this unique sense of place, ten sections of the Vine Trail’s 44 miles will be named for the city or vineyard AVA (American Viticultural Area or sub-appellations) the trail passes through.  Each section offers a donor pledging $1M high visibility recognition on all Way-Finding Signs in that section, on Vine Trail maps and on-line.  These ten sections will also add safety and convenience for all Vine Trail travelers. CALISTOGA Section ST. HELENA Section RUTHERFORD Section OAKVILLE Section YOUNTVILLE Section OAK KNOLL DISTRICT Section CITY of NAPA/COOMBSVILLE Section LOS CARNEROS Section AMERICAN CANYON Section VALLEJO Section The new construction south of Yountville along Solano, for instance, will be part of the “Oak Knoll District Section” of the Vine Trail.  VINE TRAIL OCTOBER BIRTHDAY & MEMBER APPRECIATION PARTY We had so much fun at our 3rd birthday party on the beautiful Riverbend Plaza on the Napa River Trail behind the historic Hatt Building in Napa that we are planning to do it all again for our 4th birthday! SAVE THE DATE—Friday, October 12, 2012– VINE TRAIL 4TH BIRTHDAY & MEMBER APPRECIATION PARTY Have you had a chance to check out the pictures from our 3rd Birthday Party?  Thanks again to our great guests,  donors and volunteers–and special thanks to those of you, members old and new, who match all three categories!   For up-to-the minute news about the progress of the Vine Trail, or to share your news and photos, please follow us on Facebook!  For those of you not on FB, you can now follow our Facebook posts right on ourwebsite, without the need to be a Facebook member! http://vinetrail.org/ HAPPY TRAILS IN 2012…AS WE MOVE AND IMPROVE OUR LIVES!

Since first going public in September 2011 with the news that they were exploring the feasibility of a light-rail system of public transportation in Napa Valley, the private partnership NTI (Napa Transit Investors, headed by Chuck McMinn and Keith Rogal) has continued to make public presentations and to seek sufficient venture capital to proceed to the next step of investigation. This effort is completely separate from the activity of the nonprofit Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition, but will affect Vine Trail supporters as this transit option intends to integrate completion of the Vine Trail along the full extent of the Wine Train corridor, from Kennedy Park/Napa to Deer Park/St Helena, and would offer substantial intermodal connections with the Vine Trail, such as easy on/easy off for cyclists. For more opinions about this ongoing discussion, see this Napa Valley Register story from Sept. 2011, and editorial from the same month, a St Helena Star editorial from January 2012 and this Register story covering NTI’s presentation to the NCTPA January 19th 2012.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: Public forum on Light Rail feasibility Mon 9/26 5:30 YVL PUBLIC INPUT SESSION Monday 9/26, 5:30-7:00 Yountville Community Center.

Is a light rail system on the Wine Train tracks synergistic with the Vine Trail?  Is it feasible and safe? The newly formed Napa Transit Investors (NTI) is exploring the possibilities over the next two months. There will be a public input session next Monday 9/26 from 5:30-7:00pm at the Yountville Community Center Heritage Room open to everyone who would like to know more, add comments, or raise questions and concerns.

NTI president Chuck McMinn, who is also founder and president of the non-profit Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition, will lead the discussion along with NTI founder Keith Rogal.

This effort is important to Vine Trail supporters as this transit option intends to integrate completion of the Vine Trail along the full extent of the Wine Train corridor, from Kennedy Park/Napa to Deer Park/St Helena, and would offer substantial intermodal connections with the Vine Trail, such as easy on/easy off for cyclists.

Please join this conversation as the citizens of Napa County seek to understand if light rail is something our community would like to see.

CONTACT: Keith Rogal
Founder, Napa Transit Investors
707-251-0123
keith@rogal.net

CONTACT: Chuck McMinn
President, Napa Transit Investors
707-967-5410
chuck@vineyard29.com

(From the Napa Register)

The Napa Valley Vine Trail will be receiving $2.5 million in federal transportation funding for a bike trail between Napa and Yountville, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena announced Friday.

The money will be used to construct the Solano Avenue section of the trail between north Napa and Yountville.

The project is already under design, with the prospect that construction could start next year, said Paul Price, executive director of the Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency.

Once completed, the Vine Trail will span 44 miles — from Calistoga to the Vallejo Ferry Building — giving pedestrians and bicyclists across the valley a clean and reliable form of transportation.

“The Napa Valley Vine Trail is exactly the kind of smart, targeted investment that will strengthen our economy while improving the quality of life in our local communities,” Thompson said in a statement. “Thanks to the generosity of the Department of Transportation and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, we’re one step closer to making this forward-thinking transportation project a reality.”

Friday’s announcement comes less than three months after Thompson and LaHood toured the Yountville Mile section of the trail, which was officially opened to the public earlier this year.

Vine Trail organizers say that the funding will go a long way toward to the goal of linking the city of Napa with Yountville in the north. (read more…)

{originally printed in the Bohemian}

A Napa Valley trail? Yes, we can!

By Juliane Poirier

I’ve never met Chuck McMinn in person, but we’ve both asked the same question when enjoying multi-use trails in other communities: “Why can’t we do this in the Napa Valley?”

Now, thanks to McMinn and others, we can. As word gets out (email fans exceed 5,000) and donors step forward, the Napa Valley Vine Trail will be built in sections over about 10 years—a 44-mile multi-use path that starts in Vallejo and runs the length of the entire Napa Valley, making it possible for San Francisco visitors to get off a ferry in Vallejo and bike or walk all the way to the foot of Mount St. Helena in Calistoga.

Shared equally between local residents and the 4.7 million visitors traversing the Napa Valley each year, the Vine Trail could eliminate an estimated 150,000 car trips per year. “We will get to enjoy this beautiful place without having to see it only through the window of a car,” McMinn tells the Bohemian. “And the path is for all abilities, including moms with strollers, kids on tricycles and people in wheelchairs—not just those Spandex-wearing bike riders.”

Eschewing Spandex himself, McMinn didn’t even own a bicycle when he got the trail project rolling. He simply liked the idea of a walkway for public use. “When I’d ask why we couldn’t have a path through the Valley,” says McMinn, “people would say, ‘Great idea, but the wine industry would never let it happen.’”

Yet—who knew?—it was the Napa Valley Vintners Association in 2008 who plunked down the first $5,000 donation to create the Vine Trail nonprofit, of which McMinn is now (unpaid) director. The second $5,000 of support came from the Land Trust of Napa County, and the third from the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association. Supporters of the Vine Trail now include nearly every community sector from the sheriff’s department to the local Sierra Club.

McMinn, a vineyard and winery owner of Vineyard 29 north of St. Helena, says his nonprofit is eager to partner with all five municipalities and the County to help complete environmental reviews and about a third of the engineering documents to get the project “shovel ready” and eligible for federal and state grant money. Cost sharing will be critical for this $50 million project, although $1.5 million has already been raised without much strain. “We haven’t even begun our fundraising,” explained McMinn, who expects to raise $12.5 million for construction and $7.5 million for an endowment to cover maintenance.

“This is a legacy project for the Napa Valley,” declares McMinn. “It will benefit our kids and our grandkids.” And though it may not make him a Spandex guy, McMinn does at least own a bicycle now—a gift presented, good-humoredly, by the Vine Trail board.

To support the Vine Trail, visit www.vinetrail.org.

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