Final Decision Made for Island Greenway Project
A decision has been made for the Island Greenway Project Plans! During the March 10th meeting the Carolina Beach Town Council approved the “Alternate B” trail route around the scenic west side of a Town storm water pond in the wooded MOTSU buffer zone. The route was one of several options considered by Town officials in a series of public workshops and meetings over the past few months. Residents of the Carolina Sands neighborhood had voiced concerns over the close proximity of the trail to the rear of their homes in the previously proposed “Alternate A” route. In an effort to heed these concerns, Town staff and consultants investigated various associated costs and obstacles with the route options. Town Manager, Michael Cramer, recommended “Alternate B” as a visually attractive option. This option not only meets the requirements to the MOTSU property, it also provides pedestrians with an expanded area for walking, jogging and biking. The Council approval included direction to install standard FE-6 fencing along the west side of the trail as required by MOTSU, add signage, trash receptacles and other amenities. The Town Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee will meet to discuss further options to emphasize the park atmosphere.
This section of trail is part of a 1.2 mile paved 10’ multi-use path within the wooded MOTSU buffer zone from the Town’s Mike Chappell Park south to Alabama Avenue. The project is funded through a combination of local dollars and a STP-DA grant administered by the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization. Design and permitting for the project is expected to be complete by late summer 2015, with construction beginning in December and completion mid-summer 2016. Additional information is available on the Town website at http://www.carolinabeach.org/projects/island_greenway.php. Look for more updates on this exciting upcoming Town feature on the Town of Carolina Beach website!
