Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Green Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Downtown Greenway to open May 16 after two decades of planning
Summary
After roughly 20–25 years of planning and phased construction, organizers say Greensboro’s four-mile Downtown Greenway will officially open May 16; project leaders highlighted neighborhood connections, a transition to city ownership and more than $600 million in private development tied to the corridor.
The Downtown Greenway, a four-mile loop through central Greensboro, will officially open on May 16, organizers said in a Gate City Insider interview. "It feels really good," said Daphne Sanders, project manager for Action Greensboro, who has worked on the project for 19 years.
The Greenway grew out of a Center City master plan Action Greensboro commissioned and evolved through volunteer advocacy, donor support and phased land acquisitions. Sanders said the project progressed section by section as easements and opportunities emerged — the first built stretch, 5 Points, advanced after Greensboro College donated a permanent easement that allowed construction to begin there.
Why it matters: The loop links roughly eight neighborhoods and several civic landmarks, providing a continuous pedestrian and bicycle route through Warnersville, Old Asheboro, East Market Street, Fisher Park, Westerwood, College Hill and other pockets of the central city. Sanders said Greensboro City has maintained sections as they opened and that full operations and ownership will transfer to Greensboro City once the entire four miles are open.
Route and logistics: Sanders described the route starting in the Warnersville neighborhood, skirting Gate City Boulevard and Bragg Street (becoming Carolyn Coleman Way), then following Murrow Boulevard and Fisher Avenue before using a former railroad corridor on the West Side between Greensboro College and Weaver Academy to close the loop. She said the final mile — the former railroad corridor sometimes called the "miracle mile" — was delayed by lengthy negotiations with Norfolk Southern but ultimately produced a favorable result.
Safety and public response: Sanders acknowledged recurring public questions about safety and said the project team looked to other U.S. greenways for guidance: "When you bring a greenway in there and do all the beautification and then you have people using it, it makes it a safer place," she said. Organizers said outreach about safety and programming remains a priority as usage increases.
Connections and tourism: Organizers emphasized the Greenway’s role as a hub for regional trails. Sanders said the Northwest corner will connect to the Atlantic & Yadkin (A&Y) Greenway via a roughly two-mile link the city is studying; that would ultimately tie into the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and the East Coast Greenway, expanding bicycle-tourism opportunities.
Economic impact and next steps: Sanders attributed roughly $600,000,000 in private economic development to activity around the Greenway corridor, citing grocery and housing projects and new hospitality businesses. Organizers encourage the public to visit and learn more at downtowngreenway.org; the grand opening is scheduled for May 16.
The interview closed with Sanders saying the Greenway represents a standard-setting, transformative project for Greensboro City and organizers expressing hope the public will quickly adopt and enjoy the new loop.
