3 Charlotte-area greenway projects are nearing completion
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The entrance to Briar Creek Greenway at Chantilly Park. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Three greenway projects are expected to open in the Charlotte area by the end of 2026.
Why it matters: Greenways help connect communities, with residents using them to access green space or avoid traffic on their commute.
State of play: Many of Mecklenburg County's greenway projects are focusing on adding more miles to existing systems, Bert Lynn, director of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation's Capital Planning Division, tells Axios.
- At least five of the county's greenway systems span at least 4 miles. Now their goal is to bridge between land uses, Lynn says.
What they're saying: "You're not just in a residential area," Lynn says. "You're connecting a residential area to retail and higher education, like you do on Toby Creek Greenway and Mallard Creek Greenway."
Here are three projects to keep an eye on:
Irwin Creek Greenway
The $5.1 million, 2.2-mile project will extend from Statesville Road to Allen Hills Park. It's expected to wrap up by August.
Walker Branch & Hoover Creek Greenway
The $4.7 million, 1.5-mile section from Sledge Road to South Tryon Street and from Steele Creek Road to Walker Branch Greenway should be open by September.
Phase 1 of Briar Creek Greenway
The $1.7 million, 0.5-mile stretch runs from Bay Street to Chantilly Park and Monroe Road. Phase 1 is expected to open later this year.
What we're watching: Ultimately the greenway will connect to a small existing section of Briar Creek Greenway from Arnold Drive to Masonic Drive in Plaza Midwood on the other side of U.S. 74.
- Phases 2 and 3 are in the design phase and will likely be built together.
The big picture: Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation is balancing maintaining the existing system with expansion.
- Renovations for McMullen Creek and McAlpine Creek greenways in south Charlotte, for instance, are currently in design. The goal is to have the project completed within the next three years, but the timeline is subject to other entities also completing work in the area, including Charlotte Water.
- Upgrades to those trails entail replacing some of the older boardwalk sections, Lynn says.
- In some cases, the boardwalks will be lifted higher off the ground or possibly above the floodplain, Lynn says. This will reduce the downtime following significant rain and ultimately reduce the amount of regular maintenance those lower areas of trail require.
My thought bubble: I've recently started biking on Little Sugar Creek to Park Road Shopping Center to teach my weekly yoga class.
- What used to be a stressful commute to the yoga studio during rush hour has become a peaceful 30 minutes in nature. It helps that what I'm going to do requires athletic attire rather than business attire in this North Carolina heat. Plus my bike folds up, making it easy to store while I teach class.