2021 East Coast Greenway designations

Watch the video above to meet the latest Greenway segments.

Over the course of a record-setting 2021 for the East Coast Greenway Alliance, 18 safe, traffic-free segments - totaling 30 miles across eight states and Washington, D.C. - were officially designated as part of the Greenway route. In addition, an unprecedented 660 miles of new signage were added to the East Coast Greenway and a record total of $550 million in public investment was committed to fund future Greenway expansion signifying continued momentum for our transformational project.

The new additions to the East Coast Greenway, from north to south, include: 

1. Salisbury Rail Trail, Salisbury, Massachusetts (2.3 miles): An extension of the Old Eastern Marsh Trail, this designation is the final 2.3-mile component to the town’s 7-mile trail system, which now links Salisbury to Newburyport in Massachusetts and Seabrook in southern New Hampshire via the Seabrook-Salisbury Trail Connector. This segment is the newest addition to the rapidly developing East Coast Greenway between Boston and the New Hampshire border. 

2. Multiple segments, Salem, Massachusetts (1.0 miles): At 0.7 miles, phase 2 of the Mayor Anthony V. Salvo Multiuse Path is the longest of three newly designated Greenway segments in Salem. Also included are the Bridge Street Sidepath and 28 Goodhue Street Path, which create short but important connections within the city’s growing trail network. Salem has designated 3-plus miles of the East Coast Greenway since 2019, creating more than 5 miles of continuous greenways between Salem and Swampscott.

3. Swampscott Rail Trail (Phase 2), Swampscott, Massachusetts (0.1 miles): Another addition to the growing East Coast Greenway in Massachusetts is an extension of the Swampscott Rail Trail, a tree-lined, crushed-stone pathway. Connecting to Phase 1 and north to the 4-mile Marblehead Rail Trail, Phase 2 begins at Beach Bluff Avenue and will eventually connect to the Swampscott MBTA rail station.

4. Blackstone River Bikeway, Pawtucket, Rhode Island (0.3 miles): A new extension of Rhode Island’s Blackstone River Bikeway improves connectivity in Pawtucket. This short segment runs from the historic Slater Mill complex and along the scenic Blackstone River behind Pawtucket City Hall. At 18.2 miles between Cumberland and Woonsocket, the Blackstone River Bikeway is Rhode Island’s second-longest bike path.

5. Innovation District Park paths, Providence, Rhode Island (0.2 miles): The latest additions to the East Coast Greenway in the Providence Innovation District Park are short paths on the west and east sides of the Providence River Pedestrian Bridge, which was designated part of the Greenway in 2020.

6. Air Line State Park Trail, Pomfret to Putnam Connector, Connecticut (3.2 miles): Running from Pomfret Station to Town Farm Road in Putnam, this new connector is a key addition to the Air Line State Park Trail featuring seven important crossings - three tunnels, two bridges and two at-grade crossings - to greatly enhance connectivity in the region. The Air Line State Park Trail is now a 21.2-mile stone dust pathway connecting Putnam to Windham.

7. Delaware River Heritage Trail, Burlington County, New Jersey (4.6 miles): The latest addition to the Delaware River Heritage Trail (DRHT) - the Route 130 Bypass Trail - is a 4.6-mile asphalt segment connecting Bordentown Township to Crystal Lake Park and Florence Township. This recently completed segment of the DRHT eventually will be part of a 29-mile trail in Burlington County and the planned 45-mile DRHT connecting Trenton and Camden. 

8. South Shore Trail (Phase I) Millersville, Maryland (1.6 miles): Stretching 1.6 miles, phase I of the South Shore Trail is Maryland’s latest addition to the East Coast Greenway. Primarily utilizing the abandoned road bed of the WB&A Railroad between Annapolis and Odenton, the South Shore Trail will eventually extend 13.6 miles when complete, linking Anne Arundel County's portion of the WB&A Trail (5.7 miles) to Annapolis' Poplar Trail (0.6 miles) of the Colonial Annapolis Maritime Trail System. 

9. 15th Street Cycletrack, Washington, D.C. (0.6 miles): This new two-way cycletrack is protected from traffic along 15th Street through the iconic National Mall, adjacent to the Washington Monument and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The 15th Street Cycletrack links to the Anacostia River Trail and forms the southwestern end of a 23-mile loop on the East Coast Greenway between Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County, Maryland.

10. Anacostia River Trail - Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge Path, Washington, D.C. (0.3 miles): The scenic Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge Path closes a key gap in the East Coast Greenway in our nation’s capital. Once the oval approaches are complete, the bridge path will create 12 miles of nearly continuous trail along the Anacostia River Trail from the National Mall to the Northeast Branch Trail in Prince George's County, Maryland. The Anacostia River Trail is the southeast leg of a larger 23-mile East Coast Greenway loop between Maryland and Washington, D.C., forming one of the most complete metropolitan stretches of the entire Greenway route.  

11. Sam’s Branch Greenway, Clayton, North Carolina (1.4 miles): Phase II of the Sam’s Branch Greenway extends 1.4 miles from Legend Park to North O'Neil Street. From there, the existing 1.2 miles of Sam’s Branch Greenway connects with the Neuse River Greenway, creating a link to the Triangle’s extensive greenway system, the longest continuous stretch of the East Coast Greenway in a metro area. 

12. Clayton Downtown Connector, Clayton, North Carolina (0.4 miles): The newest East Coast Greenway segment in Johnston County, North Carolina, connects Legend Park to Municipal Park in Clayton. This short trail connects with the Sam’s Branch Greenway, which extends 2.6 miles to the Neuse River Greenway, creating a link to the Triangle’s extensive greenway system, the longest continuous stretch of the East Coast Greenway in a metro area. 

13. Cape Fear River Trail Extension & Linear Park Connector Trail, Fayetteville, North Carolina (2.0 miles): An extension of the Cape Fear River Trail features a scenic boardwalk over the river and under train trestles. The extension connects to the already existing Linear Park Connector Trail, bringing trail users to Cross Creek Cemetery and into downtown Fayetteville, which now features 7 miles of nearly continuous multi-use pathways. Learn more from the City of Fayetteville.

14. Lejeune Trail & Rails-to-Trails Greenway, Jacksonville, North Carolina (5.1 miles): More than 5 miles of existing trails in Jacksonville, North Carolina, have garnered East Coast Greenway designation along the coastal route in North Carolina. Running parallel to Lejeune Boulevard, the greenway allows cyclists and pedestrians to view the memorials within Lejeune Memorial Gardens, while connecting downtown Jacksonville with the military community of Camp Lejeune. Learn more from Jacksonville’s The Daily News. 

15. Waccamaw Neck Bikeway, North Litchfield Beach, South Carolina (0.6 miles): Running from Boyle Drive to Trace Drive, the new North Litchfield Safety Connector links two existing segments of the Waccamaw Neck Bikeway, creating a 16-mile safe, continuous, paved path connecting the seaside communities of Pawleys Island and Murrells Inlet. 

16. Wappetaw Trail, Awendaw, South Carolina (1.6 miles): The first phase of the soon-to-be 12-mile, natural-surface Wappetaw Trail runs through the Town of Awendaw Municipal Park. Once complete, Awendaw’s proposed East Coast Greenway segment will offer scenic views of pristine marsh, coastal wetlands and forest habitats. 

17. Sweetgrass Basket Parkway Sidepath, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (0.6 miles): The newest designated East Coast Greenway segment in South Carolina runs from Six Mile Road to Palmetto Plantation Parkway in Mount Pleasant, located just north of Charleston. The existing pathway is slated to be extended by mid-2023 to connect with the Isle of Palms Connector Trail. 

18. St. Johns River to Sea Loop/East Central Regional Rail Trail, Volusia County, Florida (3.6 miles): The newest 3.6-mile stretch of the St. Johns River to Sea Loop extends the East Central Regional Rail Trail for 52 paved miles in Volusia County. The scenic, rural segment connects Gobbler’s Lodge to Guise Road.