Greenway construction begins
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on December 10, 2014 1:46 PM
Construction on a new greenway system behind Bicycle World on Ash Street recently began and is set to be completed by January.
"We should have it completed by the first of the year (2015)," Parks and Recreation Director Scott Barnard said. "And if we don't, for whatever reason, we will have it completed very shortly thereafter."
This construction is part of completing Goldsboro's ultimate vision of having a greenway system that provides foot and bike paths from New Hope Road to Slocumb Street, Barnard said.
The project will pave a 3/4 mile path behind Bicycle World, running from Ash Street to Royall Avenue, and ultimately provide access points to eight to 10 miles of mountain bike trails that branch off from the paved pathway, Barnard said.
"It's an opportunity for people to go out and be in nature without being in the bush, or the outback," Barnard said.
Currently, the greenway behind Bicycle World is a gravel path with limited access.
Paving on the Greenway will cost $200,000, which is provided by a Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant supplied to the Parks and Recreation department by the County of Wayne.
The grant calls for an in-kind match of equipment and manpower, Barnard said, which means Goldsboro is using its own employees and equipment to complete the project.
Equipment for the project behind Bicycle World was moved from greenway construction on New Hope Road after that project had to be halted due to damp weather. When dryer conditions occur, work will be completed on New Hope Road, Barnard said.
Construction on New Hope Road is also being funded by a $200,000 RTP grant and will supply paved pathways on New Hope Road, behind Wayne Community College and Wayne Memorial Hospital.
Each project provides two standalone segments of greenways that Barnard said he hopes will connect in the future in order to create a greenway system in Goldsboro.
Barnard said the long-term vision for Goldsboro's "soon-to-be-adopted" pedestrian and greenway system plan is to have "paved trails that go over Royall Avenue and Highway 70 and connect New Hope Road to Slocumb Street where the base gate is," he said.
There are long-term benefits to a well-connected greenway system in Goldsboro, Barnard said.
"Having an off-road paved route like this will enable people in the communities near the greenway system to get to shopping areas, employment opportunities or medical services without having to drive," Barnard said. "It's also a really cool recreational opportunity that will link into the mountain to sea trail in North Carolina."
Having a strong greenway system will also make for a healthier community overall, Barnard said, as walking more can provide myriad health benefits and prevent many adverse health conditions.
"What's tremendous for Goldsboro is that this will all eventually connect in downtown," Barnard said. "For a student at Wayne Community College, they can leave their keys in their pocket and walk or bike to class or employment opportunities safely if they live near the greenway system. For families that live between Royall and Slocumb, it can be an area for recreation opportunities and save them from driving to the park. Ultimately, this prevents a lack of opportunities to be active and healthy."