Pass it on: Bikers, joggers already using greenway : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

GREENSBORO — Pssst! Hey, you. Want to share one of the biggest nonsecrets in Greensboro’s recent history?

The new section of the city’s Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway is absolutely not “officially open.” But, in fact, it is open any other way you slice it.

And if you’d like to check out all 1.3 miles, well, city officials aren’t going to pitch a fit.

“It’s kind of open,” said Peggy Holland, who manages bike and pedestrian programs for the city’s Department of Transportation. “The contractor is still working, so we haven’t officially accepted it yet. People have to make their own decisions about whether they should use it.”

Residents of neighborhoods near the new section of greenway voted with their feet long ago. They’ve been running, walking and biking on it for months, they say.

“I’m just thrilled. I live right on the other side of Cone (Boulevard), and I can’t wait until it goes the whole way downtown,” jogger Christy Wright said Tuesday morning. She was referring to plans that someday will extend the Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway to the center city by replacing some still-used tracks slated for abandonment.

The newest section of greenway follows a long abandoned section of the rail line that operated from 1899 to 1950, taking a slightly hilly course behind businesses on the east side of Battleground Avenue.

The Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway is the city’s new name for 7.5 miles of pavement combining the newest rail trail with what used to be known as the Bicentennial and Lake Brandt greenways, which travel through the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park past the city’s water-supply lakes to Bur-Mil Park and beyond.

The new rail trail starts at Markland Drive, on a sidewalk behind Lawndale Crossing shopping center, then heads north to Battleground Avenue near Edney Ridge Road.

The new section’s centerpiece is a 114-foot-long tunnel under Cone Boulevard that is more fun to bike than any grown-up ought to be allowed.

Miami native Orlando Moran said he loves tramping the new asphalt and concrete pathway with his dog, as he did on Tuesday. The nearby resident said he looks forward to the fun his 2-year-old daughter, Marilyn Jean, will have there some day.

“Coming from a big metropolis like Miami, there’s nothing like this there,” said Moran, 24, who moved here last year. “North Carolina is such a beautiful state, and it’s really nice to be able to enjoy it like this.”

The new section of rail trail has one disconnect; it takes a sharp dogleg at Martinsville Road that briefly puts hikers and bikers on Martinsville’s sidewalk and then requires crossing that busy street.

On its northern end, the new section gives users the option of continuing north on what used to be known as the Bicentennial Greenway, beginning in Country Park.

The project’s contractor still must install some fencing and fix drainage and pavement issues on part of the course, Holland said.

In addition, city work crews will put up directional and other signs.

City officials expect work to be complete within a month, so they can “officially open” the new trail on the target date of Aug. 19.

Contact Taft Wireback at 373-7100 or taft.wireback@news-record.com

spa30

July 24, 2010 - 5:14 am EDT

I have both run and rode on this new section of the greenway. Loved it. Had work done on my car at Merchant Tire, was able to ride from home to Merchant tire by bicycle when I needed to pick up my car. I told them should advertise it- drop your car off, go for a nice walk or bike ride on the paved trail. The underpass on Cone is beautiful as are the lights lining it. It is, however, unfortunate the connection between this section and Country Park is so awful (have to cross Pisgah Ch- a very very busy road and then come to the front of the Wine/CVS parking lot).

Bang201

July 24, 2010 - 7:24 am EDT

Love it! Thanks Greensboro!

Spag

July 24, 2010 - 9:12 am EDT

I wonder how long it will be before graffiti artists ruin the Cone Blvd tunnel.

DonMoore

July 24, 2010 - 9:27 am EDT

or the first assault.

oh good grief

July 24, 2010 - 12:32 pm EDT

And will that first assault be on the person

1. Who can hardly walk and chew gum at the same time, or

2. With the ipods in their ears blasting music so they can't hear any people or critters coming up on them, or

3. Texting messages and thus in "another world," or

4. All of the above?

In my opinion, little (and probably NO) good can come of a female or other smaller-bodied person submerging themselves underground for a distance of 114 feet out of sight and hearing of the general public which most/many times reports/assist people who have been taken advantage of/harmed by others.

sparkeysig

July 24, 2010 - 1:03 pm EDT

It's not that complex a problem, It's only 114 feet, you should be able to see anyone in the tunnel prior to entering it. If there is someone down there who looks like they are up to no good cross over Cone Blvd on the street level and call the Police to have them check the person out and continue on your way.

July 24, 2010 - 5:02 pm EDT

". . . you should be able to see anyone in the tunnel prior to entering it."

Sparkey, Sparkey, Sparkey --

I suppose for the less astute among us I should have substituted the word "behind" for the word "on" in point 2.

For Sparkey's (and probably some other readers') benefit, a new 2: "With the ipods in their ears blasting music so they can't hear any people or critters coming up BEHIND them . . . ."

July 24, 2010 - 8:39 pm EDT

OHHHHHhhhhhhhh K, so pay attention to your surroundings. It's a fairly open area out there and most things that are behind you start out in front of you. Also realize that your neck, that thing in-between your head and your shoulders rotates a good 180 degrees on its own, as do your hips, the part in-between your abdomen and backside, giving one the extraordinary ability to look behind ones self.

Folks these are not difficult problems to solve and I suspect that the patrol officers working the area will be checking the tunnel on a regular basis.

Again if you see a person (s) or things going on in the tunnel that do not seem kosher, call the Police and have them check it out. It dose not have to be anything illegal and the Police may not necessary arrest someone, but they will come and talk to any suspicious person (s) or check on any suspicious activities in the tunnel. Having the Police respond will give those people, who are up to no good, in the tunnel the idea that this is not the time or the PLACE to continue their nefarious activities. It will also allow them - the Police- to be aware of any developing or continuing problems in the area and nip them in the proverbial bud.

Lilly

July 24, 2010 - 7:40 pm EDT

You are assuming that people have common sense.

crowe1856

July 24, 2010 - 2:33 pm EDT

There's a similar underpass on the Lake Daniel Greenway under Aycock. Heard of many assaults there? Bike trails don't hurt people, people hurt people.

July 24, 2010 - 7:36 pm EDT

I love good graffiti, but I am not too big on criminals and crackheads.

ustaxpayer

July 25, 2010 - 9:08 am EDT

Let Obama come up with a plan to control and monitor the Greenways here in Greensboro. Then we will have no crime, less taxes, and we can all live in rainbows and lollipops. MWAH!!!

citywatcher

July 24, 2010 - 9:40 am EDT

removing those rail road tracks from downtown to northwest Greensboro will become a regretful mistake when city leaders at some point in th future realize that the tracks could have been used for a light rail transportation system. But thats Greensboro....plan for today, don't plan for tommorow.

July 24, 2010 - 10:38 am EDT

So, assuming the gauge is the same, they wouldn't have to pull up the old tracks after 50 years of decay to make them suitable for public transit use? Seems to me things like rotted ties, eroded ballast & such would require a fresh start anyway. The corridor isn't going anywhere, it's just getting repurposed. If nobody uses it, go ahead & convert it to light rail down the road. Having grown up with such rail trails, I consider this the biggest quality of life improvement Greensboro has made in the 6 years I've lived here. Frankly, it should've happened a long time ago.

July 24, 2010 - 11:05 am EDT

I doubt many people are going to use a greenway on Lawndale and Battleground in the middle of a commerical district where there are very few residents.

July 24, 2010 - 12:50 pm EDT

By that logic, nobody would use light rail along that same stretch. It will serve as a recreational & commuter link between neighborhoods, and connect the downtown greenway to the more extensive trails on the north side of town. And yes, there will be people from Kirkwood, Guilford Hills & other adjacent neighborhoods who will use it as well. Sorry if the trail is ruining your life, but there are a great many of us who will benefit from it.

July 24, 2010 - 7:42 pm EDT

Just act like someone with some sense raised you when you use the trail. That is all we who live near the thing want. It's not ruining our lives, but it sure could if people don't conduct themselves in a respectable way.

MyTakeOnTheSubject

July 24, 2010 - 1:55 pm EDT

citywatcher - you don't exercise, walk, or ride a bike, or for that matter, even go outside to enjoy just being outside? How is this greenway affecting you so negatively? And your comment about nobody using the greenway because it is in the middle of a commercial district is just plain silly - that's why people WILL use it, in addition to the exercising, walking and cycling. I can now ride my bike to Target, et al, while staying off the roads that so many motorists complain about concerning bikes (that's another discussion for sure). Wow.

July 24, 2010 - 11:27 am EDT

citywatcher - perhaps Greensboro IS being visionary by removing the tracks and building the greenway to support human-powered transportation, whether it be walking, jogging, bicycling, scootering, or whatever. Railways, the last time I checked, still require the use of some sort of fuel or power to operate. I applaud the new greenway and look forward to its full completion in the future.

July 24, 2010 - 12:22 pm EDT

I, as I suspect others, will often use the Greenway to cycle downtown and back without becoming road kill. As I stated in an earlier comment, I hope that once the current legs of the Greenway are completed, the city will look into creating feeder branches along the College Road / New Garden Rd corridor and other areas around the city.

July 24, 2010 - 9:58 am EDT

Can't wait to try it out, When the Greenway is completed it will be a jewel in Greensboro's Crown. Hopefully, at some time in the future, the city will consider creating a branch connecting the College Road / New Garden Rd corridor to it. Allow me to also add my thanks Greensboro

July 24, 2010 - 10:05 am EDT

City watcher Actually that issue came up in the past, 10 years ago at least. It was pointed out to council then that the old rail bed that was now part of the National Park in NW Greensboro could never go back to being a railroad. That kind of makes holding on to the rest of it for future rail use not practical. Also like to add that many of Greensboros 50+ bike certified Police Officers ride the trails both on duty and off. And when it is finished all the way into downtown it will be used by people commuting on bike to get to work.

qnsheba777

July 24, 2010 - 10:16 am EDT

Greenway is very good. Although I live in High Point, it would be very good to have a bikers tunnel here also.
Many people here walk and cycle but there are limited side walks and no trails for bikers. Hope the vision expands
to other Triad cities.

Gso Resident

July 24, 2010 - 10:35 am EDT

The tunnel is going to be a problem. I hope the city installs a couple cameras in there. Soon I understand the terminals in the police cars will be capable of vastly more multi-media. Officers can then with the touch of a button watch inside the tunnel as they travel nearby.

July 24, 2010 - 7:35 pm EDT

I hope its mandatory that the bike cops have to ride this trail and patrol the area. I agree the tunnel is going to be trouble.

goodtimes

July 24, 2010 - 11:01 am EDT

Great-policeman riding around on bicycles on environmental trails; while home invasions, store robberies, bank robberies, assaults and the drug trade spreads like wildfire. Brilliant! Maybe the NC State Troopers should be reduced to riding bicycles, it may help their driving skills. Can't wait to ride my Harley down those trails!

ItsASchwinn

July 24, 2010 - 11:30 am EDT

Can't wait 'til that Harley is in the City auction.

July 24, 2010 - 12:43 pm EDT

ItsASchwinn, congratulations on the best comment for this story.

timflowers

July 24, 2010 - 12:39 pm EDT

Crime isn't spreading like wildfire. The crime rate in Greensboro, and indeed across the state, is down, according to our state's attorney general, who probably has more data in front of him than you do.

July 24, 2010 - 7:51 pm EDT

Tim do you really believe everything the government tells you??? Especially Roy Cooper? LOL...

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