Billboard Removal Project

In 1999, the Town submitted for and received a TEA-21 Transportation Enhancement grant for a billboard removal and gateway enhancement project. The contract with VDOT was executed in February 2000. The total project is $100,000, with grant funds of $80,000 and a local match of $20,000. At application time, there were 13 billboards in town.

The project calls for the removal of as many billboards as possible with the funding provided, and landscaping the entrance area at the North Fork Bridge and at the Commerce and John Marshall Highway intersection (Alley Henry's corner). Under the grant, the Town acquired a billboard on Shenandoah Avenue in early 2000 for $5,000 and one in late 2000 on Royal Avenue at Commerce Avenue for $20,000. In addition, a commitment has been made to remove a smaller one near that intersection in 5 years. VDOT intends to remove the billboards at the North Fork Bridge with that project. In addition, the two billboards located at the intersection of John Marshall Highway and Biggs Drive were removed following legal action by the Town.

Happy Creek Trail (This project is in an inactive status)

In 1989, the Town hired Design Place International to develop plans for the construction of the Happy Creek Hiking & Biking Trail from Main Street to Criser Road. The initial phase of the Trail, from Front Street to Main Street, was constructed in 1992.

Staff began efforts to secure grant funding for its continued construction and was successful in 1996 with the receipt of a VDOT ISTEA grant in the amount of $163,000. The Town is required to provide a match of $41,000 for this grant and has received a few small donations over the last couple of years.

As the prior Town Manager sought to spend no tax money on the match, no activity toward construction was undertaken until late 1999, at which time Greenway Engineering was hired to redesign the Phase 2 portion to Criser Road (to reduce the Municipal Park). While it was understood that, with the reduced grant funding from VDOT, we would only construct as much as the dollars allowed, the Town performed the engineering for the entire project and received VDOT plan approval in late 2000. An agreement is being pursued with the major property owners for the necessary easements.

Tree Canopy Project

Environmental Research Inc. (ERI), an imagery analysis firm based in Linden, Virginia is performing a tree canopy analysis under a grant award of $8,500 from the Virginia Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service. Aerial photography of the town is being utilized in the analysis for digitizing of tree cover and corresponding land uses.

Leach Run Trail

As part of an overall plan to coordinate the development of a pedestrian/bike trail in the Leach Run area, trail easements are being obtained from property owners, as development takes place on individual parcels, to implement a component of the Town's Comprehensive Plan, "Front Royal's Plan for Parks, Trails, Bikepaths and Greenways."

Historic District Nomination

The firm History Matters has prepared a National Register nomination for the downtown historic area. The nomination will be considered by the Department of Historic Resources for inclusion on the national and state registers which are the official lists of places in Virginia recognized as having architectural, archaeological or historical significance at the local, state, or national level. In December of 2000, the Riverton Historic District was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register.

Click To Download: Downtown Historic Area Map