Officials break ground on Magellan Parkway extension – 'one of the biggest projects' Henrico has undertaken

Henrico County officials March 5 marked the start of construction of the Magellan Parkway extension, which will bridge over Interstate 95, with speeches and a ceremonial scoop of dirt.

The new four-lane road will provide access from the site formerly planned as GreenCity and now known as Best Products Reimagined to Brook Road near the bustling Virginia Center area. It will have three lane sections, with raised medians, curb and gutter. The project also includes a 10-foot-wide shared-use path for cyclists and pedestrians.

“This is probably one of, if not the biggest, projects that we've done in the county, it's a fairly substantial project that us as a county are undertaking, the other big part is just what's coming in the future,” said Henrico Public Works Director Terrell Hughes.

Plans for the new four lane bridge over I-95, connecting to an existing piece of Magellan Parkway, required coordination with the Virginia Department of Transportation. The road layout will include a new roundabout for the intersection at Scott and Level Green Road and for connections with the future St. Charles Road.

“This corridor is undergoing extraordinary transformation,” Hughes said at a podium set with a backdrop of the beginnings of the road and large construction vehicles. “Magellan will provide a modern, multi-modal east west connection with a shared use path and a water line that links Brook Road to this emerging activity center. This phase of Magellan connects to the existing piece that was built by Stanley Martin with the Retreat at One development.”

Hughes said the project is part of Henrico’s larger multimodal focus that helps residents connect and get out of their cars safely, advancing the Garden City Connector Trail, a project that will build a pedestrian and bike only crossing over I-95 and connect the Best Products Reimagined redevelopment area directly to the Fall Line Trail, which will have additional phases constructed this year in Henrico.

“In a few short years after Magellan has completed, this trail will create a continuous, safe and meaningful link between neighborhoods, businesses, parks, and major regional destinations to the residents of Scott Road, Garden City, Retreat at One and the surrounding neighborhoods,” Hughes said.

The Magellan Parkway extension project came about through regional as well as private and public partnerships. The Central Virginia Transportation Authority funded about $20 million, providing regional funding. Other funding for the project is through local Henrico dollars. The project's website lists the total cost at $36 million. 

Within the location of the Best Products Reimagined redevelopment area, the Magellan Parkway extension and its bridge will stretch about three-quarters of a mile between Englewood Farms Drive and Park Central Drive.

In a separate project, the Garden City Pedestrian Bridge will eventually be built south of Magellan and will cross over I-95 at the site of the former Scott Road pedestrian bridge, which was removed in 2024 after being struck repeatedly by trucks. That bridge is planned to link to the Fall Line Trail at Athens Avenue and Cleveland Street.

County officials are reviewing applications from developers interested in building an arena and large mixed-use development at the Best Products Reimagined site, while developer Markel Eagle Partners is working to build the 880-unit Level Green residential community on adjacent property along Scott Road at the former Scott Farm site.

The connected project will feature all for-sale units, a mix of single-family detached homes, townhomes and condominiums.

The Level Green development is currently breaking ground on the infrastructure. Markel Eagle Partners President Ricky Core, Jr. said the developer hopes to build in late 2026, and welcome residents in 2027.

Henrico County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Cari Tretina said the project is a result of a public private partnership, with Markel Eagle and Eagle Construction of Virginia as the home builders of the northern acreage of the Best Products Reimagined area building the road to standards that Henrico Public Works has shepherded throughout the process.

“They are able to do the actual construction quicker and cheaper than we could as a public entity,” Tretina said. “So it's really a great partnership that we have with Markel Eagle and Public Works.”

County infrastructure coming to the project pertains to housing in the area. Today, the residents of Scott Road have septic tanks and well water. When the county runs sewer lines, it will also connect to those residents.

With a two-year timeline, Hughes said the project will impact the area by mitigating any of the future traffic that will occur from future development and provide connections needed for that future development.

Tretina said the Magellan Parkway extension and the Level Green community revitalizes the area.

“It's not just a transformational project for Henrico, this road project and the bridge is actually the gateway to the Richmond region,” Tretina said. “So, in terms of visibility on I-95, this Best Products Reimagined and Magellan Parkway Extension are going to be people's introduction to the Greater Richmond region, which we are happy about.”

Almost five years in the making, Tretina said the entire project translates to an economic impact of $1.4 billion.

“It means the potential for 8,000 jobs, premium housing, trophy office space for your corporate headquarters to relocate. It means opportunities and education for Henrico students, a safer community with enhanced public safety amenities, critical infrastructure that's going to connect what has been sewer and wells now, to public infrastructure and enhance roadways and safer pedestrian,” Tretina said. “And that can only happen through public private partnerships and economic development projects like this.”

Dina Weinstein is the Citizen’s community vitality reporter and a Report for America corps member, covering housing, health and transportation. Support her work and articles like this one by making a contribution to the Citizen.