Henrico plans first trail honoring Black Civil War soldiers

The big picture: The trail, estimated to cost $16 million, will run from the Four Mile Creek Trailhead off the Virginia Capital Trail to Deep Bottom Park.

• It'll also follow the United States Colored Troops' march during the Battle of New Market Heights in 1864, which led to 14 Black soldiers receiving the Medal of Honor.
• That acknowledgment was rare at a time when Black Americans were still denied full citizenship.
• The battle — which the trail is named after — was USCT's "most significant victory in the entire Civil War," Mark Perreault, president of the Richmond Battlefield Association, said in a public information meeting last month.

Zoom in: Features for the New Market Heights trail could include a potential monument to those troops.

• And Ryan Levering, the county's capital projects manager, said in last month's meeting that the project addresses some of the top-requested amenities from residents: more trails and access to green space.

What's next: Officials say the design plans won't be finalized until next year, and construction is slated to begin in late 2026 or early 2027, pending federal funding.

• But some people at the public information meeting urged the county to accelerate parts of the project to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. next year.
• Public comment on the trail ends Tuesday.