Downtown Greenway Connector

Construction is underway on the Downtown Greenway connector, with a planned completion date some time in early 2022.

The new addition will be one mile, and will create a new paved path between North Green Street and Alphabet Lane. This path will then continue along Alphabet Lane and Sanford Drive, before crossing Sanford Drive by way of a pedestrian signaled intersection and connecting to Catawba Meadows Park.

Tri-County Paving, Inc., of West Jefferson, was awarded the contract to construct the new section of greenway during the December 2020 Morganton City Council Meeting. City staff will aid in the completion of the project by designing access points and providing in-kind services.

In order to fund the project, the City secured a federal grant through the Locally Administered Project Program (LAPP). The City is providing a required 20 percent match of these grant funds. The total cost of the project using these grant funds and required match is $910,000.

The total cost of the project came in well under the original budget projections. This can be attributed to many City staffers working to refine the design so more expensive features called for originally, such as tunnels or bridges, were not needed to complete this section of greenway.