VDOT seeks public comment on stretch of Rail Trail

Pictured: a stretch of the former railroad near Melfa. Courtesy of the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is seeking public comment on a proposed segment of the Eastern Shore Rail to Trail project in Northampton County.

VDOT is proposing to convert approximately 11.3 miles of railbanked railroad corridor from the former Bay Coast Railroad into a shared-use path. The proposed segment would run from Route 638, Sunnyside Road, in Cheriton to Route 620, Birdnest Drive, in Birdsnest.

The project calls for a 10-foot-wide, paved, bi-directional path. Construction would take place largely within right of way managed by operators of the railroad, Canonie Atlantic Company, with minor sections using existing VDOT right of way.

VDOT said National Environmental Policy Act documentation has been prepared in the form of a Categorical Exclusion to evaluate potential environmental impacts of the proposed construction segment.

The Categorical Exclusion was prepared in accordance with Federal Highway Administration environmental procedures and is available for public review on the project webpage, at the VDOT Hampton Roads District Office in Suffolk, and at the Accomac Residency on Courthouse Avenue in Accomack. VDOT is asking members of the public to call ahead to ensure appropriate personnel are available to answer questions.

The public comment period expires July 6, 2026.

Comments regarding the document may be mailed to Ms. Nakia Alston, Virginia Department of Transportation, 7511 Burbage Drive, Suffolk, Virginia 23435, or emailed to nakia.alston@vdot.virginia.gov. Comments should reference “Eastern Shore Rail to Trail CE” in the subject line.

VDOT said information concerning the potential effects of the project on properties listed in, or eligible for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places is included in the NEPA documentation, in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act.

The Eastern Shore Rail to Trail project is intended to transform former rail corridor into a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists, creating a new transportation and recreation connection through portions of the Eastern Shore.