A portion of the long-awaited Suffolk Seaboard Coastline Trail will open with a dedication ceremony next week.

The 10-foot-wide, paved path will allow walkers, runners, cyclists, roller-bladers and others to get their recreation and exercise.

“I’m just really excited about offering an additional amenity to the citizens that we did not have,” said Lakita Watson, director of Parks and Recreation for the city. The project has been on her plate since 2003 when she was first appointed, she noted.

The section of the trail opening next week runs from the village of Driver to Shoulders Hill Road. It totals 2.3 miles and features a trailhead on the Driver end with a parking lot, bicycle service station and maps. Educational features along the trail will inform users about the history of the Driver village and about wildlife along the trail.

Watson said the trail is fully accessible, and anyone with a non-motorized form of transportation can use it.

“Trails and greenways create healthy recreation opportunities for all ages,” Watson said. “We’re excited. People can come and cycle, walk, hike, jog or skate.”

The city has also received a grant to extend the trail from Shoulders Hill Road to the Chesapeake city line, Watson said.

Original plans included the trail running from the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum on North Main Street all the way to the Chesapeake city line. However, the section from downtown to Driver has encountered some easement and property issues, Watson said.

“We are going to see if there’s a way we can do it,” she said. “We’re just going to go backwards.”

Watson said the city plans similar amenities at other trails it is working on at Lake Meade and Sleepy Hole parks.

Next week’s dedication ceremony will take place Oct. 15 at 3:30 p.m. Parking and shuttle service is available at the following locations:

• Knot Hole Station, 3129 Kings Highway
• Arthur’s General Store and Big D’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice, 3118 Kings Highway
• Little Black Dress Resale Boutique, 3117A Kings Highway

Call 514-7255 for more information.