OUR COUNTY
D. GARY DAVIS

Last week was an exciting one for greenway supporters and users! Governor Phil Bredesen announced funding of two state grants for Cleveland and Bradley County. The first was an enhancement grant in the amount of $495,987 to fund Phase III from Willow Street to 20^th Street. The second was a $50,000 Recreation Trails Program (RTP) Grant for a section of Phase IV from Tinsley Park to Home Depot.

Cleveland and Bradley County began planning for development of a greenway along Mouse Creek almost 10 years ago. Community leaders felt a greenway would provide for alternative transportation, recreation, and increased water quality. The long range vision for the Mouse Creek Greenway begins in downtown Cleveland at the Village Green and ends approximately 13 miles later at the Hiwassee River.

Phase I of the Greenway was completed in 2001 from 20^th Street to 25^th Street. Phase II, also funded with an enhancement grant from the state, was recently completed and runs from 25^th Street to Raider Drive. Phase III will begin at Willow Street and connect to the existing greenway at 20^th Street. When completed, the first three phases provide for over two miles of continuous trail.

Phase III of the Greenway will begin as a sidewalk on 8^th Street and end as a trail on the east side of Mouse Creek, crossing an 80-foot pedestrian bridge halfway between Willow and 17^th Streets. The total distance of Phase III is 4,120 linear feet.

There are numerous connections provided in these three phases. Arnold Elementary School, Stuart Elementary School, and Cleveland High School are all assessable to the greenway trail. Lee University and Deer Park are also destinations along the greenway using existing city sidewalks.

Phase IV of the greenway is from Tinsley Park to the Home Depot section. Several partnerships made the construction of Phase IV possible. TDOT is replacing the bridge on Mouse Creek Road this summer and has agreed to include a pedestrian underpass as part of this project. Also, Cleveland Utilities recently undertook a project along Mouse Creek on the north side of Mouse Creek Road. Cleveland Utilities plans to grade and prepare a gravel base for the greenway with the City of Cleveland completing this section.

The recepit of the RTP grant allows us to complete this phase through the Yates/Ross School Property and a pedestrian underpass for Paul Huff Parkway to connect to the existing Home Depot section. This grant section includes approximately 800 linear feet of greenway along Mouse Creek.

Connection of the first three phases of the greenway and Phase IV between Raider Drive and Tinsley Park is a priority of the Cleveland/Bradley Greenway Board. The greenway advisory board is made up of elected officials and citizens who are responsible for planning the future of the greenway. I appreciate the efforts of this board and for their hard work in planning and fundraising for the continued progress of the greenway.

For more information on our greenway, please visit www.cbcgreenway.com or call Amy Moore at 728-7105.