Friends of James River Park Explain Pipeline Closure

This past weekend Richmond social media woke up to find that gates, fences and locks have appeared on the Pipeline Trail. Needless to say the outrage was loud and instant. The outrage is justified as the trail is one of the many things that makes Richmond, Richmond. Various reasons, and justifications were thrown about. However the best one I’ve seen so far is from the president of the Friends of James River.

I’ve copied his whole statement which isn’t very cool so to make up for it you should check out their website for all things James River Parks related.

Dear Friends-

What is going on with the Pipeline? Here is what we know, and some of my thoughts.

For anyone who loves Richmond’s outdoors, the Pipeline Trail is a special place—a short, rugged path that runs right along the James River, offering stunning views of the water, wildlife, and the city skyline. It’s a favorite spot for walkers, runners, photographers, and anyone who just wants to feel close to nature without leaving downtown. So, when news broke that the Pipeline Trail may be closed indefinitely, frustration and disappointment spread through the community like wildfire.

This is a pretty nuanced issue. As “Friends of the James River Park System,” we advocate for the Park, and work closely with the city’s Parks & Rec department, but have no official role. We’re a nonprofit and don’t speak for the city, Parks & Rec, or any of the other stakeholders.

Like parts of the James River Park System, ownership of and responsibility for that specific piece of land is not a simple matter. The railroads and Richmond’s Department of Public Utilities (DPU) are the Park’s largest neighbors. Large swaths of the Park are immediately adjacent to railroad property, and many trails cut right through land owned by the City but managed by DPU or DPW. JRPS users often take advantage of access to trails that leave the boundaries of JRPS without even realizing it.

Here are some common questions I am hearing from people – and they’re good questions – and these are the answers I have right now:

Is the Pipeline closed?
Yes. DPU stated in a recent meeting that they are closing access to the site, installing physical barriers and that it would be considered trespassing to walk on the catwalk or pipe to access the beaches. My understanding is that it has essentially always been trespassing to be down there, it has just never been enforced.

Now, we have some personal experience working with JRPS staff to close trails for maintenance and I can tell you that there is no way to effectively close a trail in Richmond. People will knock down, cut through, and destroy anything you try to put in their way, even if it is for a good reason like safety or maintenance. I personally don’t think it is great Park stewardship to ignore signage installed by Park staff and work crews, but I think that is a fight for another day. What is true is that people are going to continue destroying the fence, cutting the locks, and tossing the barriers into the river. The people will create their own access until effective enforcement can be managed.

Who owns/maintains the Pipeline?
The Pipeline “Trail” refers to the maintenance catwalk installed by Richmond’s Department of Public Utilities in order to access the suspended pipe that once carried stormwater away from downtown and into the Shockoe Retention Basin nearby. Contrary to popular belief, it was never actually a public park, and though Park staff and volunteers have often helped to maintain the space, it has never been officially a part of the James River Park System.

CSX is the property owner and holds a maintenance easement with DPU for the space under their tracks. The public has enjoyed this access for decades without the official designation of a recreational trail. Recently, DPU secured access to the Pipeline for the safety of their workers, and the general public. They have that right as the easement holders.

It is my understanding that the beaches at Pipeline are not City of Richmond Property, and never have been. The space under the bridge is CSX property according to Parcel Mapper. Regardless of what the public use has been for the space in the past, this is a legal fact. CSX has a right and a responsibility to secure access to their property and ensure they are not liable for injuries that might occur in that space.

That being said, Friends of James River Park has a good relationship with CSX, and we have worked closely with them on several projects in the Park. At this time I don’t see a path forward for a recreational easement for the space once the DPU easement is dissolved, but that could change.

What changed?
The changes in access to the Pipeline are being triggered because DPU will be decommissioning the Pipe. It is old infrastructure, was leaking, and is no longer necessary. If they no longer have the need for access to the pipe, they no longer need the easement from the Railroad that allows them to be down there. At that point, it reverts to CSX’s easement on the space underneath their tracks. This has not happened yet. It is still DPU’s easement and they made the safety decision to close access to the space.

What now?
It is hard to tell what the next step is. I understand that there is significant interest in confronting the City regarding the removal of a much loved public space. I think that is healthy, and people should be concerned about losing public spaces. I also think it is challenging to call it a truly public space if a recreational easement has never been established and if the railroad’s ownership makes it private land. This is probably something that should have been legally sorted out decades ago.

My biggest concern is what happens to the space now that it is closed. We are not going to take volunteers there to pick up litter if doing so requires us to trespass. It is already one of the least well-kept places along the river by the people who go there to party, and without volunteer cleanups, I am worried it is going to turn into a dump. All of that trash is going to end up in the river as water levels change, and I have not heard anything about a maintenance plan for the space now that it is closed to the public.

It is disappointing to lose access to a space like the Pipeline. I think this highlights the importance of the JRPS conservation easement, and the need to include as many Park-adjacent parcels as we can in that easement. The legal status of the trail, and the land around the trail, make it difficult to mount an effective effort to save the space for public use.

At the end of the day, the closing of the Pipeline Trail is a loss for the community of people who could and did access it. I am optimistic that we can establish clear communication from City and railroad officials about the future of the Pipeline Trail, and a real discussion about whether or not a recreational easement will be possible in the future. Richmonders deserve access to the natural beauty of the James River, and we can’t afford to lose one of our most treasured trails.

As always, let us know if you have specific questions. You can contact me directly at [email protected].

See you in the park!