Williamsburg City Council on Oct. 9 authorized the city manager to execute a $297,865 contract with Johnson Incorporated (doing business as JMI) to develop a mobile app, design a printed map and continue community engagement for the African American Heritage Trail.

Miss DeWitt, project lead, told council the two-mile trail in downtown Williamsburg will interpret African American history and highlight sites identified by a six-member advisory committee and descendant community representatives. She showed council the medallion design inspired by the Compton Oak and said medallions are being manufactured by a vendor selected through procurement. The city plans a grand opening in 2026.

DeWitt said the trail project is funded from multiple sources already budgeted in the city’s capital plan, including $327,000 in federal funds and $515,000 from the city’s tourism fund; the city also is pursuing additional grant funding from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. The request to hire JMI falls within the project budget, she said.

Council members who spoke praised the advisory committee and JMI’s prior community work. Vice Mayor Dent and others noted the long development timeline and expressed support for moving to procurement and production phases. The council’s recorded vote to authorize the contract was unanimous.

Project specifics DeWitt provided include contracted medallion fabrication (Tectonics, Richmond, awarded separately), on-street “bread-crumb” wayfinding elements between medallions, site-specific engineering and a phased procurement plan for trail construction once final designs are complete. DeWitt said the city will build the physical platform for future memorial art, with art installation to follow as additional funding becomes available.