Western Branch Chesapeake Trail

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE (PHASE 1)
This is a VDOT-funded project. Phase 1 of the proposed 10-foot multi-use path is from the Portsmouth-Chesapeake City line to Dordon Street. The path is located on the abandoned railway. VDOT has approved $170,000 matching City funding. Phase 1 trail paving is complete, and delivery of benches and amenities is forthcoming.

FUTURE PHASES
Future phases of the project are currently unfunded, but the City's long-term goal is to extend the trail to connect to the Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail. The City has applied for grant funding in two separate pieces through the Transportation Alternatives Program.

Phase 2 of the Western Branch Trail will complete the paved trail section from Dordon Street to Taylor Road. While grant results are not official until the proposed projects are included in VDOT's Six-Year plan, preliminary results indicate that this project may receive funding available in Fall 2022.

Phase 3 of the project (connecting Phase 2 to Suffolk trail) has already received VDOT SmartScale funding, which would be available in 2024. In an effort to advance this funding, the City submitted an application for the design and right-of-way portions of the project through the Transportation Alternatives Program. A diagram of the proposed Phase 3 alignment is below:

More information on future phases of the trail will be posted as it becomes available.

• Construction Start (Phase 1): May 2021
• Construction Completion (Phase 1): February 2022
• Project Budget: $850,000