Construction has Begun on the Bluestone Trail 
Interested in more places to bike and walk away from traffic in the Friendly City? Well the first “greenway” in our community is in progress and phase one should be finished by the end of the year. You can venture into Purcell park and see the progress yourself.
What is the Bluestone Trail? Well let’s see what the City of Harrisonburg has to say about the path on their website:
“The Bluestone Trail will be a shared-use path in Harrisonburg that will connect people between Port Republic Road and Hillside Avenue (where James Madison University’s entrance is), Purcell Park and the Purcell Park Neighborhood, RMH Wellness Center, Ramblewood Park and surrounding neighborhoods, and points south near Pleasant Valley Road. The Bluestone Trail will be 10-ft wide and hard surfaced for transportation and recreational uses by walkers, joggers, bicyclists, etc.”
We have come a long way from 201 when the SVBC presented the idea to City Council to move forward with the Bluestone Trail as a shovel ready project. Read this excerpt from the February 9, 201o City Council Minutes:
The next item of business was a presentation by Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition
(SVBC). Charlie Chenault representing the group requested that City Council authorize staff to
draft design plans and cost estimates for two multi user off road paths to be included in the 2010
Bicycle Plan. Path number one is the Hillandale Park Connector path which would connect
Circle Drive to Hillandale Park and then to Garbers Church Road. Path number two is the
Bluestone Trail which would connect Stone Spring Road to Port Republic Road paralleling
Interstate 81 with a side connector to the apartment complexes on the east side of South Main
Street. City Manager Hodgen suggested that City staff review and outline a timeframe to allow
the City to undertake all of the steps available for a shovel ready project.
Read more about the Bluestone Trail and Phase 1 which will be finished by the end of 2014.
