RICHMOND, Va. WRIC — Construction has begun on the first section of the Fall Line Trail in Richmond, a project that has sparked both support and opposition.
Chuck Epes, former president of Friends of Bryan Park, was among nearly 30 people protesting at the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 28. The 43-mile Fall Line Trail will connect seven localities in central Virginia, including Richmond.
They don’t need to cut down trees and remove parkland, Epes said.
While Epes supports the idea of the Fall Line Trail passing through Richmond and Bryan Park, he disagrees with the current route. He prefers the trail use existing park paths instead of creating a new 14-foot-wide asphalt path through what he calls open green space.
Green space is already limited in Richmond, he added.
Despite the protest, more people at the ceremony supported the project than opposed it. One supporter, Grady Hart, has been following the project for three years and approves of the planned route through the park. He frequently bikes, walks his dogs, and visits the farmer’s market there.
The planned path is the most direct route through the park, which is why it makes sense, Hart said. “It’s also going to be safer for everyone.
Critics are concerned about the safety of having cyclists share the trail with walkers, runners, and children. However, supporters argue that the trail will protect people from cars.
Right now, pedestrians and cyclists have to share the road with cars to get through that part of the park, Hart explained.
Hart believes the current plan addresses two key issues.
It improves safety for cyclists and pedestrians while protecting mature trees, he said. This plan for Bryan Park achieves both.