FAIRLAWN -- The pieces of a regional biking and hiking system are starting to come together as planners seek ways to link existing trails in the New River Valley.

The New River Valley Planning District Commission, Pathways for Radford and other groups are looking into ways to connect the New River Trail in Pulaski County with the Huckleberry Trail in Montgomery County and to seek connections beyond that.

Abigail Convery, a planner with the commission, said the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will help negotiate with Norfolk Southern on a possible trail extension crossing rail right-of-way in Pulaski County.

Representatives of New River Valley localities discussed their next steps at a meeting Wednesday, including a possible multimedia campaign to explain what the bikeway system is all about and a regional conference to help get local governments on board.

Shawn Utt, representing Radford, said the city is getting ready to extend its existing trails system to a point near McHarg Elementary School and starting the engineering process for taking it from Bisset Park west to the Intermet Corp. area. The trails system grew out of a partnership between the city and the Pathways residents' group by combining local money with federal grants.

"It took us seven years to complete the first three miles. We now have five with our extension through Bisset Park," said Radford City Council member Laurie Buchwald.

Assistant Christiansburg Town Manager Barry Helms outlined possibilities for connecting to Radford's trails system. Another biking possibility is limited access to parts of U.S. 460. Virginia Department of Transportation Resident Engineer David Clarke said there are obvious traffic problems but his office is looking into how other states handle biking on major traffic corridors.

Shane Sawyer, a planner with the Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission, said his region is updating its Metropolitan Planning Organization bikeway plan and looking into extending it into rural areas. It would make sense for Roanoke County to link its biking trails to those in neighboring Montgomery County in the planning process, he said.

Bruce Mahin -- president of Pathways, which has been successful with bike trails in Radford -- said members of the group agreed in August to extend its focus beyond the city to the New River Valley. Mahin uses the system to bike to his job at Radford University. "I can ride to the university just as quickly as if I drive," he said.

The commission developed a regional bikeway plan about five years ago, she said, but it needs updating. Convery will be developing a timeline of what steps need to be taken in the coming year to get the biking and hiking system off the ground.