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Virginia Capital Trail gets 172,000 visits over 7 months

Posted at 5:03 PM, Apr 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-15 17:03:42-04

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. — Not only were people excited about the opening of the Virginia Capital Trail, they continue to use it, according to tracking system data.

Since the trail opened in fall 2015, over 172,000 uses by cyclists and pedestrians have been recorded, according to  Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The organization now offers public data to display daily and historical trail usage.

“The trail is truly an asset to the region’s alternative transportation program and to users’ quality of life,” said Rob Cary, P.E., L.S., VDOT Richmond District Engineer, “This data will enable us to track the trail’s success and plan for future maintenance needs.”

Shortly after construction completion, VDOT installed sensors in six locations along the trail to track and communicate usage.

The Virginia Capital Trail is a 50-plus mile multiuse trail built by VDOT in phases over the past 10 years.  The paved path is eight to 10-feet wide for shared use. It parallels most of the scenic Route 5 corridor, which travels through a wellspring of historic, environmental and cultural resources from previous capitals in Jamestown and Williamsburg to the modern government seat in Richmond.

The most utilized part of the trail is near the city, at Almond Creek. Since Sept. 9, 2015, over the trail has been accessed over 70,000 times, with a daily average of 326 visitors.

Further east, Herring Creek has the second-highest usage, with over 40,000 uses since tracking began.

The data can be found here.

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