Wendell wins $500,000 state grant for Buffalo Creek Greenway phase 1

Town staff informed the Board of Commissioners that the town received a $500,000 Great Trails State grant to support Phase 1 of the Buffalo Creek Greenway, a paved connection intended to improve access to Wendell Park and nearby neighborhoods.

The grant is the full maximum award for the program this year, staff said, and will be combined with approximately $2.4 million in town bond funding to reach a Phase 1 budget of roughly $2.9 million. Phase 1 is located inside Wendell Park and will connect to the Wendell Town Park trailhead near existing pickleball and tee‑ball fields; future phases would extend toward Roberts Mill Pond.

Staff said the phase in Wendell Park is roughly eight‑tenths of a mile long and will be paved to improve ADA accessibility of the existing trail system. The greenway concept calls for a trailhead with connections to Carver Elementary, nearby businesses, Wake Tech and adjacent neighborhoods, and staff noted the project will link to the planned Wendell Athletic Field Complex.

Town staff told the board the grant award was recently confirmed and that staff are awaiting resolution of a related town property turnover (referred to as Stone Arbor finalization) that will help the project proceed. Next steps include finalizing design and permitting and moving to construction once property and permitting matters are resolved.

Commissioners congratulated staff on the award and discussed the state program’s future availability; staff said this grant was a one‑time appropriation this year but lawmakers have discussed making the program recurring. Staff invited further questions and said they will return with design and schedule updates as the project advances.