HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — A bike trail connecting five out of the seven Hampton Roads cities is slowly becoming a reality. It would span more than 40 miles across the area.
The Chesapeake portion is paved. The idea is that it will connect downtown Suffolk to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Construction has recently begun on the Portsmouth section.
Winnie Wang often walks the Chesapeake portion of the trail, something which she'd like to see more of in the area.
"Honestly, I kind of feel unsafe walking anywhere else just because there are so many roads everywhere," she said.
She's glad to see trails like the South Hampton Roads Trail coming to fruition.
According to the plans, it would start in Downtown Suffolk, then go through Chesapeake and Portsmouth and on to Norfolk, using the Elizabeth River Ferry.
The end would be at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront—in all, a 41-mile trail.
Amy Oliver, the owner of Pedego Electric Bikes in Downtown Norfolk said more trails are needed for safety reasons.
"I think what I see so much is people are afraid to bike on the road. They're really afraid and for good reason," Oliver said. "And if we had more trails, it would just encourage people to bike more."
According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, there have been 138 bicycle-involved crashes in 2023, nine of which were fatal.
Oliver, a certified safety instructor, said everyone—drivers and cyclists—can do their part to stay safe on the road.
"I think that number one most important thing is to be predictable. You know, when you're biking in a straight line, you're going at a steady speed," Oliver said. "Making sure your brakes are working right. You know, you always have a bell. You want to let people know you're coming up behind them."
And always wear a helmet.
While the South Hampton Roads Trail would be mainly of interest to cyclists, it would also be accessible to walkers and runners.
In total, the Portsmouth portion of the trail will be just under two miles long. The paved Chesapeake portion is about 3/4 of a mile with another 3/4 of a mile to go. That's expected to be completed in the summer of 2024.
