Meet seven new East Coast Greenway segments

From Massachusetts to South Carolina, seven new greenway segments totaling 15-plus miles are pending East Coast Greenway designation following the Alliance’s October Greenway Council Meeting. 

Thus far in 2021, 14 safe, traffic-free segments have been added to the Greenway route, which surpassed 1,000 miles of protected pathways last year.   

The soon-to-be designated East Coast Greenway segments, from north to south, include:

PICTURED ABOVE: Salisbury Rail Trail, Salisbury, Massachusetts (2.3 miles): An extension of the Old Eastern Marsh Trail is a 2.3-mile component of the region’s 20-mile Coastal Trails system, which now links Salisbury to Newburyport, 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, which is envisioned to stretch 70 miles. 

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.

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. 

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 70-plus mile greenway system, the longest continuous stretch of the East Coast Greenway in a metro area. 

PICTURED ABOVE: 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, bringing the trail to 7 continuous miles, 6.2 of which is part of the East Coast Greenway route. The extension connects to the already existing Linear Park Connector Trail, bringing trail users to Cross Creek Cemetery and into downtown Fayetteville. Learn more from the City of Fayetteville.

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.

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 0.7-mile Isle of Palms Connector Trail.