Fall Line Trail
| Fall Line Trail (Under Development) | |
|---|---|
| Length | 43 mi (69 km) |
| Location | Central Virginia |
| Trailheads | Ashland, Virginia Bryan Park, Richmond[1] Petersburg, Virginia |
| Use | Multi-use, Walking, cycling |
The Fall Line Trail (FLT) is an approximately 43.6 mile [2] multi-use trail currently under development — from a northern terminus in Ashland, Virginia to a southern terminus in Petersburg, Virginia.
Early in its development, the trail had been identified as the Ashland to Petersburg Trail (ATP), and was formally renamed when the state of Virginia broke ground on the trail in October, 2020.[3] Anticipated to serve as a recreational and commuter spine for Central Virginia,[4] the trail has no formal scheduled completion date, as of mid-2021.[5]
Running roughly north-south, the trail is projected to cross Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico counties, the cities of Colonial Heights, Petersburg and Richmond, and the Town of Ashland — and will cross the Chickahominy, the James and Appomattox Rivers.[2] Sports Backers, a Richmond-based tax-exempt active-living advocacy group formed in 1991 — and chief proponent of the trail — estimates that 350,000 people live within two miles of the proposed route.[6]
The trail's name refers to its location along the Atlantic Seaboard's Fall Line, the 900 mi (1,400 km)-long escarpment where the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain meet.[7]
Connectivity and design
[edit]Depending on the final corridor, the trail is projected to connect 24 public schools, four colleges and universities, two community colleges as well as the 3.2 mile Appomattox River Trail near Petersburg.[5] In the city of Richmond, the trail is projected to directly cross the Richmond Canal Walk and the 52 mile, roughly east-west, Williamsburg-to-Richmond Virginia Capital Trail (VCT). In other localities it will connect existing and planned infrastructure, including the Ashland Trolley Line Trail, Chester Linear Park, Trolley Line Connector (Henrico), Brook Road protected bike lanes (Richmond), and the Northern Jefferson Davis Special Area Plan (Chesterfield).[8] At the James River, the trail may cross at the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge, a former dam that reopened in 2016 as a predominantly pedestrian bridge.[9]
In contrast to the Virginia Capital Trail, which primarily crosses rural areas, the Fall Line's route is projected to cross urban, suburban, and rural areas.[8] Like the Capital Trail, extensive wayfinding and signage will identify the trail, which is projected to include a separation from vehicular lanes.[8]
Development
[edit]The trails earliest advocates included Bike Walk RVA, an organization that worked with the officials, municipal staff, other advocates, and volunteers to advance the concept. Subsequently, the trail has developed as a collaborative effort in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the seven localities, the Crater Planning District Commission, and PlanRVA.[9] In February 2020, VDOT published its study report, identifying stakeholders, case studies of multi-use trails, six possible alignments[9] as well as the preferred corridor for the proposed trail.[10]
As of early 2021, the trail had received approximately $5.7 million in state funding, with a projected cost in the range of $106[2]-192 million (reported variously).[11] and funding coming from transportation funds, local jurisdictions, regional funding and form the Central Virginia Transportation Authority.[2] The trail is projected to cost approximately three times the cost of the Virginia Capital Trail.[5]
In mid-2024, the City of Richmond broke ground on the city's portion of the trail, a thirteen mile segment extending from Bryan Park, which will become a key trailhead, to the Chesterfield County border to the South. By this time, the Fall Line Trail's overall cost was projected at $300M.[1]
See also
[edit]- Cycling infrastructure
- Rail trail
- List of rail trails
- High Bridge Trail State Park
- New River Trail State Park
- Greenbrier River Trail
- Virginia Capital Trail
- Virginia Creeper Trail
- Washington & Old Dominion Trail
External links
[edit]- Fall Line Vision Plan (94-page downloadable PDF)
- Interactive Map for the FLT preferred corridor
- Placeholder website for the forthcoming Fall Line Trail
- VDOT Ashland to Petersburg Study Report
- VDOT 2019 Planning Study Presentation
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Richmond's Segment of 43-mile Fall Line Trail Breaks Ground, Connecting Central Virginia". WRIC.com. August 28, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Gary Robertson (May 24, 2021). "The Fall Line Trail". Richmond Magazine.
- ^ Adriana Hargrove (October 21, 2020). "Name revealed for new 43-mile trail from Ashland to Petersburg". NBC12.
- ^ Rich Griset (April 3, 2019). "VDOT begins Ashland to Petersburg trail study". Chesterfield Observer.
- ^ a b c Ian M. Stewart (October 21, 2020). "A New Multi-Use Trail Gets Its Name".
- ^ "The Fall Line". Sportsbackers.org.
- ^ Freitag, Bob; Susan Bolton; Frank Westerlund; Julie Clark (2009). Floodplain Management: A New Approach for a New Era. Island Press. p. 77. ISBN 978-1-59726-635-2. Retrieved 17 November 2010.
- ^ a b c Louise Lockett Gordon. "Ashland to Petersburg Trail: A Spine for Regional Transportation". SportsBackers.org.
- ^ a b c Wyatt Gordon (October 1, 2019). "Central Virginia is planning a 41-mile trail from Ashland to Petersburg". Greater Greater Washington (.org).
- ^ "VDOT Completes Ashland to Petersburg Trail Study". Virginia Department of Transportation. February 4, 2020.
- ^ Natalie Stickel (March 30, 2020). "Monumental Ashland to Petersburg Trail Already Gaining Momentum". Riverside Outfitters.