TRTC will have two openings on it's Board for one year terms beginning in January 2010. If you are interested in working to enhance and maintain existing local trails, promoting new rail-trails in the Triangle area and in other activities supporting local trails you may want to consider serving on our Board. We meet on the first Monday of each month at the Woodcroft Community Center. If you have questions concerning TRTC's Board, please contact Bill Bussey or Curt Devereux.

The newly formed Tobacco Road Marathon Association (TRMA) has announced the first-ever marathon starting in Cary and traversing the American Tobacco Trail. The race is confirmed for March 21, 2010 starting at 7 a.m. TRMA is a group of highly experienced marathon runners and athletic event production managers headed by Cid Cardoso Jr., the president and founder of Inside-Out Sports, and five-time Boston marathon veteran Kazem Yahyapour. The scenic course includes 18 miles of the American Tobacco Trail for the marathon and 7 miles for the half. Runners will start from the USA Baseball/Thomas Brooks Park complex in Cary. Plans call for proceeds to go to the Wounded Warriors Project, American Heart Association and the Triangle Rails to Trails Conservancy (TRTC). Details about the event including online registration and training tips can be obtained through TRMA's Web site at Tobacco Road Marathon.

Work on both bridges is nearing completion. Paving and screenings are largely complete from O'Kelly Chapel Road south. Paving from O'Kelly Chapel Road north to the Durham County line should be completed during November. See a October 19th article from WTVD TV for a recent bridge picture and remarks by Joe Godfrey of Cary Parks.

In September 2009, TRTC was notified that it's Adopt-A-Trail grant application to grade and pave a short connector to the ATT has been approved. Funding for this program was put on hold this Summer but we now expect to receive our contract by mid-October. With this grant, some donated materials and lots of volunteer efforts we plan to widen, grade and pave a 115' trail from the ATT to Lawson Street. Residents of the nearby Southside area of Durham have been interested in having this improved access to the ATT for some time and will assist us in upcoming workdays over the next few months.

On September 19th local and state officials, volunteers and many from the Deep River Steering Committee participated in opening the initial .75 miles of the planned 18 mile Deep-River rail-trail. About 60 people attended the ribbon cutting in Franklinville including NC Secretary of Commerce, Keith Crisco. The planned trail will eventually connect Ramseur, Franklinville and Cedar Falls. This initial section is 8' feet wide and has a granite screenings surface over a stabilizing geo-textile material. TRTC has participated in several workdays at Deep River and will be involved when resources for the next phase are obtained. For pictures and descriptions of the Deep River Trail please see the the map and their Concept Brochure.
Please see the Fall 2009 Little Toot for opening pictures and notes on plans for the trail.

Work is moving well on the trail in Chatham. Screenings have been applied from the Wake County line to New Hope Church Road. Progress on both bridges is going well. New images of recent construction were added to the ATT photo gallery on July 27th.

Please Remember--this section is still a construction area and is not open for use. Current estimates call for construction on the Chatham section to be completed by late December 2009.