Unearthing old railroads for new greenways

Boulevard residents will access a proposed greenway at College Avenue through a trail along Pulaski Creek where untamed grass sweeps over an old railroad.

W.R. Toole Engineers, Inc. developed the master plan for the SPLOST project with community input, Derek Doster said, project administrator for SPLOST Program Management.

Along with the greenway and multiuse trails, Pulaski Creek will be restored from its meager state, according to a project concept approved on Oct. 7 by the mayor and commission.

The project concept also states a desire for recreational features such as picnic shelters, playgrounds, and restrooms, as well as intersection improvements at College Avenue and East Hoyt Street.

However, without a purchasing price agreed upon yet for land from the railroad companies, Doster said money can’t be allocated to other features right now.

Grant funding is still a possibility, but at this time has not been pursued, Doster said.

Greenways encourage alternative transportation and have major health benefits for walkers, joggers and bikers, Buice said, co-chair of BikeAthens.

“I don’t commute that way to work, but it’s great for recreation,” Brent Buice said, a Boulevard resident at Yonah Avenue.

Buice said that with the increased gas prices he has seen an increase in bikers, many of whom ride unsafely on roads.

“Now at least six people are riding the same route as I am every morning,” Buice said. “It’s great that there are more people, but there are more people riding without helmets, without easily-visible clothing or riding on sidewalks.”

The greenway could alleviate some of this unsafe riding, but bikers still have to be more careful when riding around pedestrians and still need to wear helmets, Buice said.

There are also economic benefits for the greenways in Athens, Buice said.

“People go to Amsterdam because it’s so bike-friendly, and it’s a spectacle for tourists,” Buice said. “It would be great for Athens to be recognized locally or regionally for being bike-friendly.”

Flagpole writer Kevan Williams advocated in his articles for plant buffers, which Buice said create a psychological barrier between bikers and cars, and infusing local Athenian design into the project.

“There’s a shockingly high cost with making minor tweaks,” Buice said. “I’m happy with a greenway whether it’s a ‘glorified sidewalk’ or not.”

“The ultimate vision that we have is an interconnected route on a protected path, off road path or a greenway,” Buice said.

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Details:  ACC plans to bring another greenway to Athens along the Pulaski Creek and abandoned rail lines.
Status:  Land acquisition is in process with Norfolk Southern Railroad and CSX Railroad.
Cost:  $984,308
Who’s Paying:  SPLOST funds
Builder:  The bidding process has not opened yet for the construction project.
Estimated Completion Date:  It is expected to run through June 2010.