From RVA to the Ocean: New multi-use trails are connecting communities and transforming the megaregion
The PowerPoint Presentations from the webinar (click on the link):
The Speakers:
Cat Anthony has served as the executive director of the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation since October 2017.
A proud Richmond native, Anthony has loved witnessing the city’s transformation over the years. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Psychology and a secondary degree in Religious Studies, then spent several years working in outdoor recreation and wilderness therapy across the country, from leading seven-week expeditions in Alaska to guiding rock climbing trips in New Mexico.
In Richmond, Anthony has worked with nonprofits like Blue Sky Fund, helping connect youth with the outdoors, and Sportable, a Paralympic Sports Club, where she held roles in both operations and fundraising.
With over 15 years of nonprofit management experience, Anthony brings a passion for access, equity, and community to her leadership of the Capital Trail.
She currently serves as the president of the Virginia Trails Alliance, and has served on numerous boards throughout her career. She was honored as one of Richmond’s Top 40 Under 40 for her leadership and dedication to advancing outdoor access and active transportation.
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Brantley Tyndall is director of Bike Walk RVA at Sports Backers where he leads the advocacy movement for biking and walking infrastructure and policy in the Richmond region.
Since 2013, Bike Walk RVA has helped localities and the state invest more than $350 million in biking and walking infrastructure by encouraging, mobilizing, and training thousands of citizens to be effective advocates.
Tyndall supported the original concept for the Fall Line in 2017, formerly called the Ashland to Petersburg Trail, and has generated official support for this regional priority project since 2019.
He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, UVA's Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, and Leadership Metro Richmond.
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Pavithra Parthasarathi serves as the deputy executive director at the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO), where she directs the agency’s transportation planning activities.
She oversees the integration of policy, funding, innovation, and operational components of the TPO’s multi-modal initiatives, working closely with local jurisdictions and stakeholders.
With over 20 years of experience, her expertise includes transportation planning, travel demand modeling, toll revenue forecasting, and travel behavior analysis.
Before joining HRTPO, she worked at the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) in Seattle, Washington, helping develop the Regional Transportation Plan. She also has private sector experience from CDM Smith in New Haven, Connecticut, and URS (now AECOM) in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Parthasarathi earned her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota and is a licensed Professional Engineer.
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Kindra Greene is the executive director of the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation.
She served in Americorps' Virginia Service Conservation Corps as a natural resource ranger and has held multiple roles in nonprofit leadership focused on community building and economic development.
She has been an educator and professional writer for nearly two decades.
She is a Certified Interpretive Guide and a Tidewater Master Naturalist and co-chair of the Tidewater Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists.
Greene has a Bachelor’s of Arts from Virginia Wesleyan University and an Master of Fine Arts from Queens University of Charlotte.
Join us for a webinar on Wednesday September 3 at noon to get the latest updates on the four multi-use trails in the I-64 Innovation Corridor.
The webinar also will explore the importance of multi-use trails and how these trails will transform recreation, transportation, tourism, and economic growth across our megaregion.
Imagine being able to bike, run, or even walk from Ashland or Petersburg in the Richmond region all the way to Colonial Williamsburg and then onto Fort Monroe on the Peninsula or across the James River to the Virginia Beach oceanfront.
That vision is closer than ever.
Four trails in the megaregion connect communities, follow scenic roadways, and trace centuries of history.
The Virginia Capital Trail – The already-popular 51.7 fully-paved trail runs from downtown Richmond through Henrico County, Charles City County, and James City County to Jamestown. It recently announced plans to extend the trail by 7.5 miles to Colonial Williamsburg.
The Fall Line trail – A 43-mile route traversing seven localities in the Richmond region connecting Ashland with Petersburg. Parts of the trail are currently under construction with other parts in development.
TRAIL757 – This 82-mile trail is under development from Williamsburg through the eastern part of James City County, York County, Newport News, and Hampton to its terminus at Fort Monroe on the Peninsula. Another route will start at the Virginia Capital Trail in Jamestown and then cross the James River at the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry to Surry, Smithfield and Suffolk, where it will join with other existing and planned trails to the Virginia Beach oceanfront.
Elizabeth River Trail: This 10.5-mile urban trail has connected segments of Norfolk’s working waterfront since 2003 with scenic routes past historic landmarks, local gems, and parks. Plans call for expanding the trail.
When completed, these rails will form one of the longest continuous multi-use trail networks in Virginia – connecting communities, boosting local economies, and offering residents and visitors an unparalleled way to experience our megaregion.
Join us for this timely webinar to learn:
Where each project stands now and what’s ahead.
How these trails will connect into one transformative network.
Why businesses, residents, and visitors alike will benefit.
How you can get involved and help bring the vision to life.