Irmo–Chapin director presents two‑phase Lower Saluda Greenway plan aiming for river connectivity

Mark Myers, executive director of the Irmo‑Chapin Recreation Commission, told the School District Five Board of Trustees on Feb. 10 that the Lower Saluda Greenway is a multi‑phase, regional trail project now moving from study into design and permitting.

Myers said phase 1 design is complete, the district is wrapping up Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) permitting, and a contractor is under contract to begin work once regulatory clearance is received. He said the construction contract period for phase 1 is currently 15 months.

Why it matters: the greenway would link the lake at the dam to Saluda Shoals Park and, ultimately, to a wider river corridor. The project is promoted as a quality‑of‑life and economic amenity that could provide nonmotorized access to the river, recreational opportunities for residents and students, and regional connectivity when later phases and partner projects are finished.

Myers said the district‑level portion of the trail will be about 8 miles; when connected community‑wide it is expected to be roughly 27 miles. He described two immediate project segments (phases 1 and 2) that together connect the dam area to the Gardendale boat ramp; a funded phase 3 is tied to the Carolina Crossroads highway work that includes two bridges scheduled by partners for 2029 and 2030.

Design and technical details Myers said the trail will be wider than many local paths: 12 feet in higher‑use areas (near trailheads and major connections) tapering to about 10 feet elsewhere. Trail pavement along the river is planned as concrete rather than asphalt to resist flood damage and tree root uplift. He emphasized continuous ADA compliance along the built trail. Board materials show the plan includes trailheads with a parking area and restroom/office facility at the upper parking location off Bush River Road.

Routing and partners Myers described specific routing decisions made to reduce vehicle‑pedestrian conflicts, including a route behind the Lexington County trash collection site and coordination with Dominion Energy and Shaw Industries, both described in the presentation as project partners that have allowed alignment choices that bring the trail closer to the river sooner. He described a sequence of small bridges and one larger bridge across Kienle Creek that will require crane installation.

Funding, schedule and permitting Myers said phases 1 and 2 are funded and phase 3 is included in the scope of the Carolina Crossroads project. Phase 1 design is complete and the team is “wrapping up our last bit of permitting with FERC,” he said. Phase 1 would move to construction after final regulatory clearance; Myers estimated mid‑to‑next year as a target for construction start depending on permitting and contractor readiness, but he added a cautionary asterisk noting construction schedules can change.

Board questions and responses Board members asked about user fees and operations; Myers said the project will not add tax money for operations and the greenway will need revenue to operate, though he did not specify a fee structure. He said operation hours are planned as dawn‑to‑dusk rather than 24/7. On lighting, Myers said there are no immediate plans to light the trail; the team is pursuing conduit installation now to permit future infrastructure such as cameras or lighting if later funding becomes available. He said the river corridor has variable cell reception and that the project team had not documented reception across every river bank segment.

Safety and design choices Myers said design choices aim to limit high cyclist speeds and provide a recreational trail character rather than an AASHTO‑standard high‑speed bike highway. He said concrete was selected in river sections for flood resilience and to reduce long‑term maintenance from root damage. Dominion Energy and Shaw Industries were identified as cooperating landowners for portions of the alignment; the team plans fencing and protections where trail runs adjacent to private or critical infrastructure (for example Shaw’s water intake).

Next steps and outreach Myers said the project team will proceed with permitting, final permitting responses and construction procurement; phase 2 design work is still in progress. He said the team will schedule public groundbreaking and ribbon‑cutting events and expects to coordinate with the district on opportunities for students and local history/interpretation along the route.

Mark Myers: "This is a 40‑year dream," he told trustees, calling the river connection "a highlight" and urging a focus on quality‑of‑life and access to nature.

Ending: The board did not take a vote on the greenway presentation during the Feb. 10 meeting; Myers answered board questions and the project team will return with permitting and procurement milestones as the phases progress.