East Coast Greenway News--Continued
On December 12, 2003, the Trails Committee of the East Coast Greenway Alliance voted to approve the designation of the connected three mile-long Ellerbee Creek and South Ellerbee Creek trails in Durham as a segments of the East Coast Greenway. These trail starts at Trinity Avenue, crosses under I-85 and through two parks and adjacent to the NC Museum of Life and Science to its current terminus in front of the National Guard Amory on Stadium Drive.
For maps of these trails, check out the Durham Greenways maps at: Durham's Trails & Greenways page .
Within the next year, the Ellerbee Creek trails will be connected to the American Tobacco Trail via the one mile-long, Downtown Trail, composed of wide sidewalks and bike lanes running through downtown Durham. This will be a convenient way for bicyclists and walkers to navigate through downtown Durham.
Earlier this Fall, the Trails Committee and the Board of Trustees of the East Coast Greenway Alliance formally approved designation of the 5.5 mile-long Dunn-Erwin Trail as part of the East Coast Greenway. This ten foot-wide, granite screenings surfaced rail trail connects the towns of Dunn and Erwin. It is located about 40 miles south of the Triangle. ECG signage should be installed on this trail in the next few months.
Another two mile-long segment of the future East Coast Greenway is currently under construction in Fayetteville. This trail is expected to be complete by the end of 2004. Contact Gerald Dietzen of the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Dept. For more details see the Fayetteville Parks site.
Brunswick County in the southeastern part of the state is working with the National Park Service Rivers and Trails Program to design a system of greenways, some of which will be a segment of the East Coast Greenway. Contact Chris McCall for more information.
Also, the City of Hertford is working with the Rivers and Trails Program to plan a system of greenways and trails in their area. The resulting greenways and trails will probably become part of the alternate route of the East Coast Greenway in NC. Contact Wendy Jewett for more information.
David Connelly of TRTC has developed an on-road East Coast Greenway route which connects the designated and to-be-designated portions of the ECG in North Carolina using existing NC Bike routes and other roads. We hope to have this posted on one of the websites listed below soon. If you'd like a copy of this triptic in Excel format, please contact Dave Connelly for availabity information. Note, this route has not been formally approved by the East Coast Greenway Alliance. It is offered as an aid to cyclists to connect off-road designated and to-be designated portions of the East Coast Greenway in North Carolina.
If you want to know more or help build the ECG in North Carolina, please contact Bill Bussey NC State Committee Chair for the East Coast Greenway Alliance or at (919) 545-9104
With the designation of the Ellerbee Creek trails, the total mileage of completed and designated East Coast Greenway in NC is 15 miles. The NC East Coast Greenway Committee hopes to designate more miles of already completed greenway in 2004.
Also, check out the NC-ECG photos page.
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