OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — The City of Oak Ridge is partly known for its lush landscape at the foothills of the Appalachians, and soon residents may be able to explore the city's beauty even more.
City officials are working to convert 4.6 miles of abandoned CSX railroad tracks into a greenway for pedestrians and bicyclists. The new greenway path would take people from east Oak Ridge to the Y-12 National Security complex, giving residents a safe route where people can reach parks, schools and shopping areas.
"This greenway is going to connect a lot of people, provide alternative transportation in addition to a recreational amenity, and it's really going to be something that will tie together the east end of the community and bring it together towards the center of town," said John Hatrick, the director of the city's Parks and Recreation department. "That's really going to be a great connection to make. It's really going to be a great enhancement for the community."
The project is known as "Rails to Trails" and will also create links to other trails that already run through the city, such as the North Ridge Trail from Melton Hill Lake Park.
Funding for the project was initially awarded in 2017 through a grant from the Transportation Alternative Program. That funding was used to help with preliminary studies, design and acquisition. The greenway is expected to cost $4.4 million in total.
