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An important expansion of the Mecklenburg County greenway system in University City will gain momentum again with federal stimulus money.
A $1.25 million grant from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will pay construction costs for an initial phase of the Toby Creek Greenway.
Construction was scheduled to begin late last year but stalled when the county commissioners put bond sales on hold when the recession crippled financial markets.
With the stimulus money, planners say, construction can begin before the end of this year and should be completed about a year later.
"We could not do the project without the stimulus funds," said Gwen Cook, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation greenway planner.
The planned 1.5-mile portion of the greenway will be built along Toby Creek in northeast Charlotte. It will extend from University City Boulevard near Harris Boulevard across the western part of the UNC Charlotte campus before joining with Mallard Creek Greenway near North Tryon Street.
That connection will provide access to 7.1 miles of trails along Mallard Creek and Clark's Creek greenways.
A half-mile spur trail at Phillips Road would provide access to retail at University Place and The Shoppes at University Place.
Later phases of the greenway could extend the trail about a mile south from University City and Harris boulevards to more than 600 households in the areas near West Rocky River Road, Cook said.
Toby Creek Greenway ultimately could also provide a connection to the proposed extension to the University area of the Lynx light-rail system, now in planning stages.
An additional benefit of the greenway will be improved safety for those traveling along Toby Creek to Mallard Creek Greenway from UNC Charlotte, Cook said.
Some people have resorted to walking across an above-ground sewer line that extends over Mallard Creek. The greenway project includes plans for a wooden-deck bridge over Mallard Creek, at the north end of the trail, Cook said.
On the UNCC campus, the trail will offer views of and access to the tennis courts and track, but most of the trail will be in wooded or shaded areas.
"We consider the construction of this section of greenway a wonderful addition to our campus," said Philip Jones, associate vice chancellor for facilities at UNC Charlotte.
