SUFFOLK, Va. — More than $14.4 million has been awarded to eight trail and sidewalk projects across Hampton Roads as part of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization's Fiscal Year 2027 funding cycle, supporting efforts to improve recreation, connectivity and pedestrian safety throughout the region.
Among the projects receiving funding are expansions of the Seaboard Coastline Trail in Suffolk and Trail 757 at Endview in Newport News. Other projects will add sidewalks near schools and along busy roadways, helping fill gaps in the region's pedestrian network.
John Mihaly, principal transportation planner with the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO), said access to trails and recreational facilities plays an important role in residents' quality of life.
"Quality of life. A big piece of that really is the access to recreational trails and facilities," Mihaly said.
Each year, HRTPO evaluates transportation projects submitted by localities across Hampton Roads. Projects are scored using several criteria, including their readiness to begin construction. Those receiving the highest scores are selected for funding.
"These projects have to be kind of ready to go," Mihaly said. "As a matter of fact, that's one of the scoring criteria for the projects. If your project's more ready to go, you're going to get a higher score for that."
The organization awarded a total of $14,403,006 to the following projects:
- Newport News: Trail 757 at Endview — $1,500,000
- Suffolk: Route 17 (Bridge Road) Multi-Use Path — $2,184,448
- James City County: Matoaka Elementary School Sidewalk — $2,500,000
- Norfolk: Tidewater Drive Sidewalks – Phase I — $2,070,768
- Norfolk: Tidewater Drive Sidewalks – Phase II — $1,920,688
- Norfolk: 25th Street Sidewalk Extension — $963,678
- York County: Tabb High School Crosswalk and Sidewalk — $763,424
- Suffolk: Seaboard Coastline Trail: West — $2,500,000
Mihaly said the trail projects will help localities connect existing segments, creating a more complete network for pedestrians and cyclists.
"This is a great way for localities to plug in those gaps within the trail system," he said. "If we keep doing that and keep at it, then we're going to have a fully functioning trail."
Several of the funded projects also prioritize pedestrian safety, particularly near schools where sidewalks are incomplete or nonexistent. One of those projects will construct new sidewalks and a crosswalk around Tabb High School in York County.
"I'm a big proponent of having sidewalks available," Mihaly said. "There are many instances where there aren't, and people are walking through the grass or walking through the mud to get from point A to point B because of breaks in that sidewalk."
Funding comes from a combination of state transportation dollars and HRTPO's regional set-aside program, which is dedicated to expanding trails, sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure across Hampton Roads.
"Overall it's a good thing for any community," Mihaly said. "I think the more opportunities you have within any region, the better."
With funding now approved, localities can move into the design and engineering phases before construction begins on the projects.
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