Virginia Planning a Big Addition to Multi-Modal Trail System

The proposed Ashland to Petersburg Trail would build on the success of the Virginia Capital Trail.

1 minute read

October 2, 2019, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Richmond, Virginia

The T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge (pictured right) over the James River in Richmond, Virginia. | Mobilus In Mobili / Flickr

"The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is leading an effort to replicate the Capital Trail’s success with a north-south alignment, tentatively called the Ashland to Petersburg (ATP) Trail," reports Wyatt Gordon.

"The proposed ATP Trail would extend roughly 41 miles and pass through seven of Central Virginia’s localities: the City of Ashland in the north, Hanover County, Henrico County, the City of Richmond, Chesterfield County, and the Cities of Colonial Heights and Petersburg in the south," according to Gordon.

Although the Virginia Capital Trail was a focus of criticism when first proposed in 1999, it has proven wildly popular—the second most visited multi-modal trail in the state according to annual visits. The ATP hasn't provoked criticism yet, although public engagement for the project is already underway, but there's a lot about the trail still to be determined, like the name and a particularly tricky crossing over the James River in Richmond. Instead of crossing the river on the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge, which is already overcrowded at times after opening to automobile traffic in 2016, the trail could eventually be integrated into the plan for BridgePark in Richmond.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019 in Greater Greater Washington

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6, 2026 - Grist

A rendering of a mall turned living space. People walk around a green space surrounded by apartments.

Malls are becoming the midtowns of the future

Mall and office park redevelopments are a generational opportunity to create new nodes of urbanity.

October 29, 2026 - Ben Schneider

A car drives through a puddle in NYC

NYC breaks ground on anti-flooding infrastructure project

New York City's new system will reduce stormwater flows to local sewers by 90%.

15 minutes ago - Smart Cities Dive

Members of the Smoketown CLT gather for a photo

One Kentucky town’s secret to affordable housing

The Smoketown Community Land Trust has already built seven affordable homes for community members.

1 hour ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Two people stand under mesh coverings shaped like petals

Houston gains petal-shaped cooling infrastructure to make streets more ‘delightful’

The city has installed the pavilions along 15 blocks in Houston.

2 hours ago - De Zeen

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.