ROANOKE, Va. – A major piece of the Roanoke Valley’s greenway system is now complete, giving residents a new way to move through Explore Park and along the Roanoke River corridor.
The East Roanoke River Greenway now connects from the former regional landfill area off Rutrough Road through Explore Park to Rutrough Point, completing the final segment needed to link four separate projects into one continuous route.
Assistant Director of Planning with Roanoke County, Megan Cronise, said the effort required multiple phases of construction.
“It’s four separate pieces that we built between 2023 and 2025. So all combined, they’re continuous.”
County officials say the idea dates back to 1995, when long-term planning first identified the Roanoke River corridor for greenway development.
The project has since moved forward in phases over several years, involving coordination between Roanoke County, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the National Park Service through the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority, and the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority, along with support from the Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission.
Engineering, design, and construction were completed across multiple phases by firms including AECOM, Balzer and Associates, McDonough Bolyard Peck, and Allegheny Construction Company.
The completed route is already open to the public and features river views, tunnel crossings, and quiet stretches of natural scenery throughout Explore Park.
Visitors say the improvements are noticeable.
“It looks good. Cleaned up. It used to be a lot overgrown and real steep and they flattened it out pretty good. It looks nice,” said Tyler Harris, who was visiting the park.
He added he plans to use the space primarily for “mostly fishing”.
The connected trail is expected to expand outdoor recreation opportunities and improve access across the region.
A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for Monday afternoon at Explore Park to officially mark the completion of the project.