Residents split over Greenway funding during T+ 2026 public comment

A string of public commenters at the Athens-Clarke County special session urged the commission to support or to delay greenway spending in the T+ 2026 project list, underscoring how visible park and active-transportation projects are to different constituencies.

Dana Schffin, identifying herself as a Friends of the Greenway member who lives on Little Street, said the greenway is essential to her ability to commute without owning two cars. "When we moved here, we made the decision to live along the greenway so that we could bike to work. Our income is not high enough to afford two vehicles," she said. Members of the Electric Bike Group Athens and other residents described multi-generational and commuting uses and urged the county to keep momentum on the greenway.

Other speakers pressed the commission to prioritize more basic infrastructure. Benny Coleman, who identified himself as a candidate for District 7, urged the commission to "hold back on the greenway for a while" and focus on more pressing needs for Clark County. Commissioner debate during the meeting reflected the same tension: while some commissioners praised the strong allocation to long-term capital, others stressed the need for sidewalks, street lighting, and traffic-calming investments for neighborhoods lacking basic infrastructure.

Commissioners asked staff to make project lists and presentations publicly available and to provide refined language and spreadsheets before the February vote so residents can see where specific projects fall in the package.