Ground broken on Bike Trail

A large crowd gathered Thursday afternoon in Cape Charles to break ground on Sections One and Two of the Eastern Shore Bike Trail, which will follow the former railroad right of way stretching from Cape Charles to Hallwood.

The railroad dates back to 1883, when William Scott and Alexander Cassatt donated the land and launched the project. What followed was a period of prosperity, during which the Eastern Shore became one of the wealthiest regions in the country. But as factories shut down, tractor trailers became ubiquitous and vegetable farming gave way to grain production, demand for rail cars declined.

Rail operations ceased in 2018, said Spencer Murray during the event.

“We had a real dilemma. We could have lost the entire right of way, and all the land would have reverted to the original landowners,” he said. “It would have been a real mess.”

Trail organizers explained that preserving the railroad corridor through the Federal Rails-to-Trails program not only protects the right of way but also safeguards essential underground infrastructure, including broadband lines and Hampton Roads Sanitation District water mains. The designation also allows for the reactivation of rail service in the future if needed.

Northampton Board Chairman John Coker said the trail may reinvigorate railroad towns which have had trouble economically since the closure of the line.

According to Executive Director Ron Wolff, approximately $63 million in federal and state funding has been secured—enough to complete roughly two-thirds of the route from Cape Charles to Hallwood.

The Town of Cape Charles will maintain the portion of the trail from the former rail yard to Route 13. Completion is expected by October 2026.