The first phase of the Emerald Trail is the Model Project, the 1.3-mile connection between the south end of the existing S-Line Rail Link to the intersection of Park Street and Stonewall Street, near the Convention Center. The concept of the model project is to quickly build a portion of the trail that will be highly utilized and will offer the community a tangible example of what the finished Emerald Trail can be.

The Model Project broke ground August 2021 and is expected to be complete fall 2022.