HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Construction on the Fall Line Trail, a 43-mile-long recreational trail spanning Ashland to Petersburg, has begun in Lakeside.
Officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 10:30 a.m. to celebrate the start of construction on the first phase of the trail in Henrico. The 0.26-mile Park Street Phase is the first of eight phases in the county.
This 12-foot-wide trail section will run north from Park Street to Gillespie Avenue along Upham Brook and through historic Spring Park. It is set to include a trailhead with public parking, restroom facilities and other amenities, according to the county.
“The Park Street Phase will bring improvements to Spring Park, a 2.8-acre park with a historic granite “spring house” and connections to Gabriel’s Rebellion, an 1800 thwarted uprising of enslaved people,” a Henrico County spokesperson said in a statement.
In total, 7.5 miles of the Fall Line Trail will run through Henrico County between Bryan Park and the Chickahominy River.
Henrico’s phases are projected to be complete by fall 2026. County leaders approved $52.5 million in funding for the project; with $9.2 million coming from federal and state grants, $36 million from regional funds of the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA) and $6.8 million from local funds of the CVTA.
Beyond Henrico, the total expanse of the multi-use trail will span seven localities, including Hanover County, Henrico County, Chesterfield County, Richmond, Ashland, Petersburg and Colonial Heights.
