Reviewed by: Liv George
Gadsden receives nearly $3M federal grant for downtown greenway
Reading time: 3 minutes
The Downtown Gadsden Greenway project is getting a big boost in funding, thanks to the United State Department of the Interior.
The federal department’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership selected 54 projects across the nation to send a total of $254 million in grants. Gadsden, the only project in Alabama to make the cut, is set to receive $2.97 million.
Keep reading to find out more about the project + how the grant money will be used.
Downtown Gadsden Greenway
The proposed Downtown Gadsden Greenway project is a part of the larger GROW Gadsden comprehensive plan. This phase of the project will include a multi-use urban trail that connects to the Black Creek Trail System.
The new trail will run roughly parallel to Tuscaloosa Avenue, sitting on a retired set of rails. There will be eight total public access spots plus three public parking lots along the trail including the intersections of:
- North 3rd Street and Coosa Street
- Perkins Street and Comnock Avenue
- Wells Avenue and Woodliff Road
“This is a game-changer for Gadsden. Just six months ago, we approved the GROW Gadsden comprehensive plan, which included this proposed trail. Credit goes to my chief of staff, Brett Johnson, for advocating for this rails-to-trails project and to the entire team who worked tirelessly on this grant.”
~ Craig Ford, Mayor of Gadsden
The grant will fund roughly half of the total project which is budgeted at $5.99 million. After each phase is complete, the Downtown Gadsden Greenway project will include:
- 8-foot-wide asphalt pathway
- Trailside facilities
- Gateway signage
- Kiosks
- Bridge safety reinforcement
- 2 overlook + resting stations
- Pedestrian lighting
The city plans to acquire additional property along Black Creek to connect the Downtown Gadsden Greenway to the James D. Martin Wildlife Park located behind the Gadsden Mall, ultimately creating a trail loop around the city’s urban core.
Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership
Recently, Mayor Ford joined the Mayors for Parks initiative of the City Parks Alliance, a nonpartisan alliance of urban mayors across the United States advocating for enhanced greenspaces within the nation’s cities. One of the goals of this alliance is to advocate for the ORLP program.
The ORLP program, established in 2014, is a nationally competitive, dollar-for-dollar matching grant program that aids disadvantaged, urban communities that lack access to close-by outdoor recreation.
The program provides grants for community-sponsored park projects where the population is greater than 30,000 residents. The program is managed by the National Parks Services and funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
This year’s program has selected projects from 24 different states including:
- 15 projects in California
- 5 projects in Texas
- 4 projects in Florida
- 4 projects in Ohio
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