Charlotte’s Greenways Are Growing
As the tourism slogan goes, “Charlotte’s got a lot.” However, there are some things Charlotte could use more of, such as an expanded network of greenways. That’s not just my opinion. In a 2016 survey, 76% of Mecklenburg County residents said greenways were the recreational amenity most needed in the county.
Charlotte was recently ranked 97th out of 100 cities on our parks by the Trust for Public Land. The Charlotte Observer reports that Mecklenburg County is planning to invest $63 million over the next four years to add roughly 34 miles of greenways to the current 52 miles. The ultimate goal is to have a 308-mile countywide system.
Construction is well underway. Recently completed projects include the Briar Creek Greenway and the extension of Little Sugar Creek Greenway from Tyvola Road to Huntingtowne Farm Park. A new section of Little Sugar Creek extending from Huntingtowne Farm Park to Interstate 485 should be done by the end of June.
Some of the proposed new greenways include:
- Caldwell Station Tributary Greenway: 0.8 miles from Old Statesville Road to Caldwell Station Creek Greenway.
- Long Creek Greenway: 4.3 miles from Treyburn Drive to Oakdale Road.
- Paw Creek Greenway: 1.5 miles from Little Rock Road to Loy Court.
- Reedy Creek Greenway: 2 miles from Grier Road to Plaza Road Extension.
- Walker Branch/Hoover Creek Greenways: 1.5 miles from Sledge Road to S. Tryon Street/Steele Creek Road to Walker Branch Greenway.
Three greenway extensions are also slated for funding in 2020:
- Briar Creek Greenway: 1.7 miles from Central Avenue to Monroe Road.
- Irwin Creek Greenway: 2.2 miles from Old Statesville Road to Allen Fields Drive.
- Sugar Creek Greenway: 3.3 miles from Billy Graham Parkway to McDowell Farms Drive.
Another 17.6 miles of greenways are already in design or under construction. Yes!
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