A tour of the James River Branch Trail in progress

The James River Branch Trail will be an an approximately 2-mile long, 10-foot wide paved multi-use trail on an a former CSX rail bed that will connect Westover Hills Boulevard to Hopkins Road.

The trail will connect neighborhoods, schools, and businesses, with direct connections from adjoining neighborhoods, and will be a nice piece of the growing South Richmond bike lanes and trails network. In conjunction with the Crooked Branch Trail being developed just to the north, this will essentially connect Forest Hill Park and the James River Park System all the way through to Hopkins Road.

The trail will cross a number of streets, including Hull Street, Midlothian Turnpike, and Broad Rock Road. The road crossings will have either a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon or a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon, with a raised crosswalk at East Broad Rock Road and a lane reduction and choke island on Midlothian Turnpike. The project will also install street lighting, landscaping, benches, trash cans, and bicycle racks at each trail crossing.

The project is estimated to cost $9 million and is being financed through American Rescue Plan Act funds. The trail is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.

A trail at this location has been on the radar since at least 2008. The James River Branch Rail-Trail Concept Plan (PDF) from 2010 gives credit to former 9th District Council Representative Doug Conner for getting the ball rolling:

For several years, Richmond City Councilman Doug Conner has been advocating for the conversion of an abandoned rail-line in Southside Richmond, to serve as a pilot project, demonstrating how trails could benefit Richmond neighborhoods. In 2008, the Richmond City Council passed a “Resolution in Support of Trails and Greenways” to advance the vision of an interconnected trail network in the Richmond region. In January 2009, with the assistance of the National Park Service, Rivers and Trail Program, the Southside Richmond Rail-Trail project team was formed. Coordinated by Doug Conner, the purpose of the team was to assess the feasibility of trail development and identify next steps.

On March 31, 2009, Mr.Conner hosted an initial team meeting and a tour of the right-of- way. On April 30, 2009, a meeting was held with CSX representatives to determine interest in transfer of the property to the city for trail use. It was determined that a trail was technically feasible, and that both parties were interested in pursuing discussions.