Blazing New Trails

Greenville Ranked Best
City for Walking in South Carolina
Prevention magazine ranks City of Greenville No. 36 in survey of 500 cities

The City of Greenville secured the No. 1 ranking by Prevention magazine and the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) as the best walking city in SC. The study also ranked Greenville No. 36 among the Top 100 Walking Cities in America.

The City of Greenville received an expert ranking of 3 out of 4 for its very pedestrian-friendly infrastructure system that includes wide sidewalks set back from traffic and easy-to-cross roads. The City was also recognized for boasting the highest parks-to-land ratio in the state and having the fewest cars per household.

According to the study, each city was evaluated on 14 walking criteria, including the percentage of adults who walk to work, number of parks per square mile, use of mass transit and percentage of adults who walk for fitness. The City of Greenville was one of 10 states ranked in SC. The cities were selected based on population and tested on everything from the number of parks and schools to ozone levels and crime rates.

Currently, the City of Greenville has eight miles of existing greenway trails and just recently completed a Trails and Greenways Master Plan that calls for a network of 117 miles of trail. The trail network will provide alternative transportation links, providing residents outside the downtown area with the ability to walk or bike to work, or simply use the trail for recreation. For a list of the City of Greenville trails and the Trails and Greenways Master Plan, visit http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_services/trails.asp.
 

City Of Greenville Builds New Trail for Recreation
& Transportation As Part of “Rails-To-Trails” Project

As part of an ongoing Rails-To-Trails project, the old Greenville Northern railroad owned by Greenville County Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) is in the process of being converted from a rail line to a trail. Thanks to an innovative partnership between Greenville Hospital System and the Greenville County Recreation District, existing track and railroad ties will be demolished and a trail that will offer a healthy venue for walkers, joggers and cyclists and possibly a hybrid tourist tram will be constructed. The trail runs along the old Swamp Rabbit Railroad all the way from downtown in Travelers Rest to downtown Greenville. The trail will connect to popular amenities in downtown Greenville such as “The Children’s Garden” at Linky Stone Park, The Peace Center, Riverplace, Falls Park and Cleveland Park. Additional plans include links to Heritage Green, which includes museums, a library and theater. It is called the tram trail because eventually the plan is to have a tram service that runs along that whole route.
“The hospital system’s investment in this trail reflects our commitment to improving the health of the people in our community,” GHS President and CEO Michael Riordan told a crowd assembled at the announcement. “What we love best about this trail is that it will afford all residents — no matter what their age or athletic ability — the opportunity to get fit and be active.”
“The Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail is the catalyst for future trails and greenways development in the city of Greenville and Greenville County,” said Gene Smith, executive director of the Greenville County Recreation District. “The recreation district’s vision is a network of trails and greenways throughout Greenville County that will connect to trails and greenways created by the municipalities. This exciting partnership with GHS will have lasting benefits for our community for decades to come.