Fall Line Trail Groundbreaking Launches Regional Path Project
TL;DR: Groundbreaking ceremony on October 7 officially launched construction of the Fall Line Trail's southern section, a 9.5-mile shared-use path connecting Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Chesterfield County.
Quick facts
- Who: Virginia Department of Transportation and regional partners
- What: Groundbreaking ceremony launching construction of Fall Line Trail's southern section
- When: October 7, 2026
- Where: Southern section: Patton Park (Petersburg) to Chester Linear Park (Chesterfield County)
The story
Construction on the Fall Line Trail's southern section officially began October 7 with a groundbreaking ceremony. The 9.5-mile segment will connect Patton Park in Petersburg through Colonial Heights to Chester Linear Park in Chesterfield County, following the historic Seaboard Air Line Railroad corridor. The project will construct a 10-foot-wide asphalt shared-use path with new bridges, crosswalks, signage, and drainage improvements. Work is scheduled through October 2028.
The southern section represents one piece of a larger 43-mile trail stretching from Ashland to Petersburg across seven localities. Chesterfield County hosts more than 17 miles of the overall project, the largest share of any participating jurisdiction. The county's portion runs from the Richmond border along Route 1 northward to the Appomattox River, traversing both urban and rural areas and passing through the Route 1 corridor and Virginia State University's campus.
Chesterfield's local sections are under development in multiple phases. The county's first segment, approximately 450 feet along Route 1 between Gettings Lane and Dwight Avenue, was completed earlier this year. Construction on the next phase from Marina Drive to Elliham Avenue began following a Virginia Department of Transportation public hearing held October 21, 2025 to present the conceptual design.
The Fall Line Trail integrates with existing and planned regional networks including the Ashland Trolley Line Trail, Brook Road protected bike lanes in Richmond, and planned connections in Henrico. The project also incorporates spur connections to significant destinations for work, education, and commerce access. The Central Virginia Transportation Authority selected the Fall Line Trail as its first project to receive regional funding.
Key players
- Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT): Project lead agency
- Chesterfield County Transportation Department: County project partner
- Central Virginia Transportation Authority: Regional funding source
Key dates
- 2026-10-07: Groundbreaking ceremony and construction launch for southern section
- 2028-10-31: Scheduled completion of southern section construction
Why it matters: The regional trail network will connect three communities and provide residents with a long-distance shared-use path for recreation and transportation, integrating Chesterfield into a larger multi-locality greenway system.
Places
Development timeline
- 2020-02-01Fall Line Trail feasibility study completed: VDOT published final feasibility report identifying preferred 43-mile route from Ashland to Petersburg [source]
- 2025-10-21Public hearing on southern section design: VDOT presented conceptual design for 9.5-mile southern segment connecting Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Chesterfield [source]
- 2026-10-07Southern section groundbreaking: Official groundbreaking ceremony launched construction of southern section with completion targeted for October 2028 [source]
Related links
- Fall Line Trail Project on Chesterfield.gov
- Fall Line Trail Official Website
- VDOT Fall Line Trail Project Page
- Chesterfield County Transportation Department Contact
Read the original at Chesterfield County (YouTube) →
Sources
- Construction underway for final part of Fall Line Trail
- Chesterfield, VDOT making progress on northern and southern sections of Fall Line Trail
- Fall Line Trail Project
- VDOT Fall Line Trail Project