Forsyth County plans multi‑year renovation of Big Creek Greenway after wood rot forces 2‑mile closure

Forsyth County will undertake a multi‑year renovation of a roughly 2‑mile section of the Big Creek Greenway that closed last year because of deteriorating boardwalk and underlying wood rot, county Parks and Recreation director Kirk Franz said.

Franz said the closed segment — identified as Phase 4 and running between the Bethel View Trailhead and Kelly Mill Road — had deteriorated faster than other stretches and became a safety concern. "We had to close this section," he said, adding that once crews began inspecting beneath the boards they found moisture and extensive rot that made simple surface repairs inadequate.

The county’s capital projects plan has allocated "around $17,000,000 towards the renovation" for Phase 4 and vulnerable sections of Phase 2 and Phase 3, Franz said. The work will replace failing materials and, where possible, retain wood bridges that remain in good condition.

Franz described a sustainable redesign that moves to a steel substructure beneath replaceable decking so future repairs will be quicker and less vulnerable to moisture: "everything below the surface boards will be steel," he said. That change is meant to reduce the frequency of major rehabilitation caused by flooding or persistent wet conditions.

Forsyth County plans to use a design‑build procurement model so a selected contractor can help refine design and construction sequencing. Franz said the county was finalizing bid scoring and "I anticipate that we'll probably award by the end of this year and then probably get started ... kicking off at the beginning of next year," with project work expected to continue through 2027.

The county estimates the full Greenway runs roughly 17 miles from Union Hill to the Shawnee Mountain Preserve, with about a 1‑mile gap tied to a future Highway 20 widening. With two sections closed, Franz estimated about 14 miles are currently open to the public.

Next steps include completing contractor selection under the design‑build approach, finalizing construction phasing to minimize closures, and posting updates and interactive maps on the Parks web page. Franz encouraged residents to watch the county’s Parks page for schedule updates and construction notices.