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BLUE RIDGE TUNNEL FOUNDATION
MISSION AND VISION

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel Foundation is to support the restoration, reuse, and historical interpretation of the Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel as a community landmark and outstanding recreational and educational resource. In addition, the Foundation will serve as a catalyst and facilitator to foster regional collaboration and cultivate public-private partnerships that strengthen regional connections, and link communities in Central Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge, and Piedmont regions.

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The Tunnel Foundation will convert the Blue Ridge Tunnel from an abandoned and threatened historic resource into an exciting recreation and heritage destination to:

  • benefit Nelson, Augusta, and Albemarle Counties and the City of Waynesboro,

  • strengthen regional connectivity among Central Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge, and Piedmont regions, and

  • connect with the surrounding recreational resources such as the Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park & Skyline Drive, the Appalachian Trail, and the TransAmerica Bicycle Route 76.
     

The Tunnel Foundation is motivated by the Blue Ridge Tunnel’s distinctive and multi-faceted heritage as well as its unforgettable experiential value. Realizing the Tunnel’s potential to become a special public asset for all Virginians and all Americans, the Tunnel Foundation will continue to foster regional collaboration and cultivate public-private partnerships to successfully restore this national treasure.

OUR VISION

The Tunnel Foundation envisions the Blue Ridge Tunnel as a true national treasure that will be restored to a new era of historic reuse, prominence, and community value. The tunnel project will incorporate an access trail through the restored tunnel, including new trailheads on both sides of the Blue Ridge providing access for trail hikers, walkers, bicyclists, and other visitors. Ultimately, the Tunnel Foundation envisions this project linking to existing local trails, long-distance trail systems, and the historic communities on both sides of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Tunnel Foundation envisions the successful realization of the Tunnel’s incredible potential to advance numerous community goals:

  • Restoration & Preservation of Historic Resources

  • Education & Interpretation of Cultural Heritage

  • Expanding Outdoor Recreation & Providing Quality-of-Life Amenities

  • Advancing a Regional Greenway System & Alternative / Non-Motorized Transportation Routes

  • Strengthening the Region’s Position as “Gateway Community” to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park / Skyline Drive

  • Maximizing the Growing Regional Tourism Industries (Eco-Tourism, Recreation Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Agri-Tourism, and Arts, Culture, and Events Tourism)

 

The Tunnel Foundation envisions this project as being valuable, interesting, and exciting to a rich variety of future users:

  • Local school children on educational field trips

  • Local families and groups bonding through outdoor recreation

  • History buffs, railroad enthusiasts, and Civil War battlefield visitors

  • Hikers and bicyclists (including visitors from the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park, long-distance travelers on U.S. Bicycle Route 76 and the Appalachian Trail, and local cycling clubs such as Milepost Zero)

  • Bird watchers, wildlife spectators, and photographers

  • Tourists of all niches: heritage tourists; agriculture enthusiasts; breweries and wineries samplers; nature lovers; outdoor recreationalists; and more …

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