Photo By Leon Roberts | Government officials, stakeholders and citizens cut a ribbon to dedicate the...... read more read more
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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (Feb. 2, 2023) – Officials dedicated two additional miles of paved pedestrian trails along the North Murfreesboro Greenway Jan. 31, bringing the total to five miles of greenway space constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District for public recreation in the community.
The celebration highlighted the extension from the Walter Hill trailhead, and improvements to the popular 18-mile Twin Forks Equestrian Trail.
Kent Syler, political science professor at Middle Tennessee State University and chairman of Special Projects as a member of the Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Commission, thanked former Congressman Bart Gordon and Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland for their leadership and work to establish the greenway system. He also credited former Sen. Lamar Alexander and the Corps of Engineers for the latest greenway achievement that will benefit Middle Tennessee.
“I had a chance to get out here and walk this greenway on Saturday. It was nice. And I’ll tell you what – everybody is going to love it,” Syler said. “It has some great distance, and appropriately it doesn’t have an end. It has a loop.”
Syler said the greater vision for the greenway is to eventually connect it with the greenway in Smyrna, then LaVergne, and eventually join the system in Nashville.
“Every one of these ribbon cuttings gets us a little closer,” Syler said.
The city of Murfreesboro and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District signed an agreement in July 2014 to design and construct improvements to the trail system and support facilities on the upper J. Percy Priest Lake along the East Fork of the Stones River. Dedication of phase one of the project took place Dec. 14, 2016, and featured three miles of new trails, combined equestrian and multi-use parking facility at Coleman Farm, and new connection to the Twin Forks Equestrian Trail.
Kovilic Construction located in Franklin Park, Illinois, constructed phase two of the greenway improvements. The work began in November 2021 and finished in late December 2022.
Lt. Col. Joseph Sahl, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District commander, thanked Murfreesboro officials, community partners, stakeholders, and Corps employees for the vision and teamwork that brought the greenway extension to fruition. He also touched on the importance of projects that make the best use of green spaces.
“I want to ensure that the Corps is an effective partner as we do these types of (environmental) projects that responsibly provide services to the people of this great community,” Sahl said.
The second phase of the project received $2.2 million in fiscal year 2020 to extend the hiking trail and grade and level sections of the equestrian trail. Fences were also added as a safety feature between sections where pedestrians and equestrians would pass in close proximity.
Ramune Matuliauskaite, Nashville District project manager, said the project went smoothly without any issues or modifications.
“The biggest challenge involved addressing ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) requirements along one steep section of the greenway,” Matuliauskaite said.
Murfreesboro signed a 99-year lease with the Corps of Engineers for use of public land and is responsible for operations and maintenance of the completed greenway.
Following the ceremony those in attendance were able to walk along the trail to the overlooks to enjoy the scenery on the new stretch of greenway.
Margie Jared of Murfreesboro said she is excited about the newest stretch of greenway because she really enjoys walking the trails with her husband Bob.
Laney Ware of Murfreesboro added that she is thankful for the improvements to the horse trail because it is the only equestrian trail that she is aware of that is available to ride on in Rutherford County. She brought her horse “Professor” to the dedication, and they participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
For more news, updates and information please follow the Nashville District on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. The public can also follow J. Percy Priest Lake on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jpercypriestlake.
Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest Nashville District employment and contracting opportunities at https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-army-corps-of-engineers-nashville-district. #Jobs #Contracting
| Date Taken: | 02.02.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.02.2023 13:39 |
| Story ID: | 437715 |
| Location: | MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 292 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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