Hit the trails: These Charlotte area greenway projects are in the works
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The last link of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway is set to open this spring, connecting more than 22 miles of trails from NoDa to South Carolina and wrapping up a project that’s been part of the original Mecklenburg County Greenway Master Plan since it was created in 1980.
The final 2.9 mile stretch of the greenway starts at the James K. Polk Historic Site and continues to the state line. It features 12-foot-wide trails, an elevated boardwalk and a stretch through steep woodlands, as well as a monument to be erected at the state line. Depending on weather, the project should wrap by May, said Katie Loyd, senior planner for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation.
The trail will connect with the newly constructed sections of Little Sugar Creek Greenway from Tyvola Road to the Polk site, which is part of the Carolina Thread Trail and also the Cross Charlotte Trail. Once trail construction is completed near the Park Road Shopping Center, a contiguous trail will exist from the South Carolina state line north to Cordelia Park. Future plans include extending the Cross Charlotte Trail to Cabarrus County.
Also expected to open this spring is the Little Sugar Creek Greenway/XCLT, which continues along the entire alignment of this 1.5 mile segment of the Cross Charlotte Trail between Brandywine Road and Tyvola Road.
Here’s a look at other trails that are under construction in Mecklenburg County and their planned completion dates:
- Briar/Little Hope Creek Greenway – This project will create 1.5 miles of greenway in south Charlotte, beginning at Keystone Court, moving through Marion Diehl Park and then along Little Hope Creek, eventually ending at Manning Drive. Estimated completion is mid-2024.
- Caldwell Station Tributary Greenway – Construction is underway on the .83-mile trail that will connect the existing Caldwell Station Greenway to the new Northern Regional Recreation Center on Old Statesville Road. Estimated completion is late 2023.
- Irvins Creek Greenway – The project, which is being built in partnership with the Town of Matthews, will add the first section of greenway trail built on Irvins Creek in Matthews. The greenway trail will be approximately 1.5 miles long and will provide a connection between Crown Point Elementary School and Idlewild Road Park. Estimated completion is mid-2023.
- Long Creek Greenway and stream improvement – Phase one (I-77 to Treyburn) is expected to open this spring, providing pedestrian connections to Long Creek Club Drive, Reames Road, Secretariat Drive, Northlake Center Parkway, Bayview Parkway and Treyburn Drive. Phase two (Treyburn to I-485), includes two miles of trails, along with stream and wetlands enhancements, with an estimated completion by early 2024. Phase three (I-485 to Oakdale) is currently in design, with plans for approximately two miles of new greenway trail, roadway improvements, trailhead parking and a restroom facility. Construction is set to start this spring.
- McDowell Creek Greenway – This project will connect the towns of Cornelius and Huntersville, offering nearby communities 2.5 miles of trails to Westmoreland Park, Westmoreland Athletic Complex, Robbins Park, nearby schools and retail areas. Broken up into four phases, construction is complete on the first segment, which extends the Torrence Creek Greenway to Gilead Road. Phase two extends approximately .6 miles from Gilead Road to Chilgrove to Gilead Road. Estimated completion is early 2024. A timeline has not been announced for the additional phases.
South Charlotte connector (Park Road to Polk Historic Site) — This route near Carolina Place Parkway is currently in a design phase. When complete, a temporary connection will include a continuous sidewalk for the whole distance. Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation is coordinating with North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Town of Pineville to complete the connection by mid-2024. Ultimately, there will be an additional trail connection between the two, but Lloyd said that land acquisition has is a current challenge.
- Stewart Creek Greenway – This project includes a 1.5 miles of greenway trail along Stewart Creek Tributary, from State Street to Coronet Way, as well as stream enhancements and new stormwater control measures near the Duke Energy substation. Estimated completion is mid-2023.
- Torrence Tributary #2 – This project will extend the existing Torrence Creek Greenway by about a mile from Rosewood Meadow Lane to the Huntersville Gateway Park and Ride at Compass Street, uniting several neighborhoods by utilizing a tunnel under I-77 completed by NCDOT. Once complete, it will serve as an important regional connection as part of the Carolina Thread Trail. Estimated completion is 2024.
Coming up
County leaders also expect to bid on several more greenway trail projects this year. You can provide feedback and learn more about these projects at the following links:
Public Input: www.PublicInput.com/MeckParkRec
Mecklenburg County Parks and Rec: https://www.mecknc.gov/ParkandRec/CapitalProjects/Pages/Default.aspx
This story was originally published April 13, 2023 at 6:15 AM with the headline "Hit the trails: These Charlotte area greenway projects are in the works."
