More than a hundred people gathered at the Great Ship Lock Park in Richmond this morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony of a stretch of the Virginia Capital Trail.
The ten-block stretch forms the end of the 55-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail that connects Richmond with Williamsburg. Completion of the entire project is expected by 2014.
Governor Tim Kaine and Mayor Dwight Jones were joined by members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board at the ribbon cutting ceremony. Earlier in the morning the board approved a revised six year improvement plan that fully funds the remaining phases of the trail—so far 15 miles have been completed.
“A priority of my administration was to have the entire trail either complete or under development and I am pleased to announce that we have accomplished the goal,” Kaine said.
Kaine framed progress on the capital trail as part of his overall efforts to reform land use policies in the state including funding passenger rail service and new street requirements that limit the number of cul-de-sacs in new subdivisions.
“Smart growth policies will better focus our use of land going forward,” said Kaine.
The outgoing governor also linked the trail with health care reform.
“Health care reform starts with health,” Kaine said, “We got to push good health with projects like this…it gives people encouragement to lead healthy lives.”
The Richmond Riverfront section unveiled today cost around $2 million to design and construct, which runs from Dock and Pear streets to the beginning of the Canal Walk. Another phase will begin once the city purchases riverfront property currently owed by Lehigh Cement Company. The third portion of the Richmond segment is being built by the developer’s of Rocketts Landing.
“Looked at by us, the trail is part of our focus on smart growth,” said Jason Vickers-Smith, one of the developers of Rocketts Landing.
“A project like this trail gives an economic incentive for others to invest in the area,” he said, referring to the former industrial sites along the riverfront.
The funding for the trail is a combination of federal, state, local, and private funds. Richmond corporations Meadwestvaco and the Dominion Foundation are major partners, and together with other donors contributed about $720,000 to the recently completed section.
The trail project is also supported by more than $8.1 million in federal stimulus funding.
