The Virginia Beach Trail (VB Trail) is a proposed 10.5 mile shared-use path within the former Norfolk Southern Railroad Corridor. The trail will provide a continuous east-west linear connection from the western city limit at Newtown Road to the oceanfront resort area. Design and construction of the proposed trail will be broken into five phases:
Phase 1
Phase One of the Virginia Beach Trail will begin in the Town Center area and provide access for pedestrians and bicyclists throughout the Pembroke Strategic Growth Area (SGA) as well as provide the northern loop connection to the Thalia Creek Greenway project.
Phase 2
Phase Two will be constructed nearer to the oceanfront, connecting the existing Norfolk Avenue shared-use path where it ends at Birdneck Road and continue westward.
Phases 3 - 5
The remaining three phases will fill in the gaps to complete the project with a continuous ten-foot wide asphalt trail.
The VB Trail has been a part of the City of Virginia Beach Bikeways and Trails Master Plan since 1980 when it was adopted by City Council and has continued to be a priority in the Master Plan ever since. Conceptual design and 15% construction drawings have been completed and are under review by city staff. Continuation of the project including construction is pending future funding.
The 10.5-mile Virginia Beach Trail would be the final connection to the Atlantic Ocean from the existing South Hampton Roads Trail, a regional trail that currently runs through Suffolk, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Chesapeake.