The current projection on the Downtown Greenway is that it will be completed in 2020 at a cost of $40 million.
The Downtown Greenway is an extra wide four-mile long sidewalk that, if it is ever finished, will circle the downtown. The project was started in 2001, which means most of the babies who were born that year have finished high school and some have children of their own.
So far, in over 18 years of design, development and construction, the city has managed to finish less than half – 1.5 miles – of the Downtown Greenway, and the two sections don’t meet. So you can’t actually walk for 1.5 miles on the Greenway. By comparison, during just half that time, between 2006 and 2015, the city completed 133 miles of new sidewalks.
Then there is the cost. It is currently estimated that the total cost will be $40 million. That’s about $10 million a mile, or nearly $2,000 a foot.
How many homeowners in Greensboro, if told that the cost of putting in 15 feet of sidewalk between their driveway and their front door would be $30,000 would accept that bid?
If anyone on the current City Council were even marginally interested in how the city spends its money, somebody would at least ask why it is costing roughly the same amount per mile to build the Downtown Greenway as to build a six-lane interstate through an urban area.
Construction on the Downtown Greenway is, according to the Downtown Greenway website, projected to be complete in 2020, but the city has not acquired the right-of-way for the western leg, which runs along the Atlantic and Yadkin railroad tracks. Since the city can’t start construction until it acquires the right-of-way, and since it has only managed to construct 1.5 miles in 18 years, it appears the projection that the entire Downtown Greenway will be completed a mere 16 months from now is not rational.
We were pointing out the Greensboro greenway project to a friend from Long Island ny on 8/13/2019. he could not understand why it was called a greenway and we saw only one person walking on the section in northern Greensboro at 11:00 am.
How many home driveway projects involve road crossings, pedestrian safety issues, and multiple right-of-way issues? While I am disappointed at the slow pace of progress on the Greenway, and think that more emphasis should be put on the A&Y connector, I find your ‘criticisms’ shallow, glib, and ineffective at anything but fomenting bad will. I note that a number of local businesses donate time or money to Parks and Rec projects, yet see nothing from the Rhino. Too cheap, or just happier complaining without contributing to the community you seem to hate living in?
Grady Scott, thanks for pointing out the Greenway to visitors. I may have you point it out to me, a resident, one day. As with most recently installed sidewalks that have been put in after people’s yards have been torn up and trees have been cut down your observation of one person using it is generous. I don’t see anyone using them in the areas I have driven, whether it’s the weather, distances or culture people in this area just aren’t inclined to walk very far.
A greenway is “a strip of undeveloped land near an urban area, set aside for recreational use or environmental protection”.[1] However, the term can in fact include “a scenic road”[2] and though many are in urban areas, there are some rural greenways, as for example the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway, a hiking trail in southern New Hampshire.
A greenway is a trail (and sometimes a wildlife corridor) found in both urban and rural settings that is frequently created out of a disused railway, canal towpath, utility or similar right of way, or derelict industrial land. Rail trails are one of the most common forms of greenway, and they also resemble linear parks.”
From Wikipedia
The pricing on this and the time frame is pretty standard. BTW a 6 lane interstate quality highway will cost you more like $100 million per mile or more depending upon the number of bridges involved — see i540 22 miles, $2.3billion.