Henrico to break ground on Fall Line Trail in coming weeks

HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) - A winding path through Central Virginia takes a step forward in Henrico, but that’s not the only place where The Fall Line Trail will soon be under construction.

It’s a lengthy 43-mile paved trail through the heart of the central Virginia region and will connect Ashland, Hanover, Henrico, Richmond, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights and Petersburg.

“The Fall Line will be a major transportation amenity,” Bike Walk RVA Director Brantley Tyndall said. “People will be able to ride bikes, walk, use scooters. But instead of it being primarily rural, it’s going to connect people from where they live to where they want to go.”

Tyndall, a longtime advocate of the project, says this is a dream that has only existed on paper until now.

“It’ll connect over 30 university schools and other places of education,” he said. “That’s an amazing amenity to connect people.”

Henrico set aside over $52 million in funding for the project.

The county will soon begin the first construction phase, connecting Bryan Park to Spring Park, crossing over Lakeside Ave.

“This is going through a little bit more urban area,” Henrico County Director of Public Works Terrell Hughes said. “With the capitol trail, you’re going through a lot of farmland or rural areas. This trail is going to connect right behind a lot of neighborhoods. It’s gonna be very accessible.”

The Fall Line will also eventually connect to the Virginia Capital Trail.

“The Virginia Capital trail has over a million users a year, and we think that The Fall Line could draw many more than that because of how many people live so close to it,” Tyndall said.

There will be multiple construction phases going on at once.

While Henrico is set to break ground in October, Hanover will start early next year, and other localities will get going within the following year.

“We’re gonna see major sections of the trail materialize to be able to use them instead of waiting for the whole thing to be completed,” Tyndall said.

The Fall Line will link rural, suburban and urban areas as well as many places of interest and use. A few of the connections along the trail will include:

• 24 public schools
• 4 colleges/universities (Randolph-Macon College, Virginia Union University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University)
• 2 community colleges (Brightpoint Community College and Reynolds Community College)
• 2 major regional trails (Virginia Capital Trail, Appomattox River Trail)
• 3 river crossings (Chickahominy, James, Appomattox)
• Transit connections in Richmond and Chesterfield
• Many parks, including Bryan Park, Battery Park, Abner Clay Park, James River Park System, Charlie Sydnor Playground, Falling Creek Trail, Bensley Park, Goyne Park and Ettrick Park

To keep up with the progress of the trail, visit www.FallLIneVA.org.

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