Update on Design and Construction

We now have three of the four miles complete and open! 2021 saw the opening of the Murrow Boulevard section from the southeast corner of Murrow and Gate City Boulevard going north along Murrow, underneath Summit Avenue, and continuing along the northern section on Fisher Avenue.  There is a small section of Fisher Avenue that passes over Church Street that will be completed when the roadway bridge deck is replaced in 2022. A detour route will be posted as that goes under construction. 

Western Branch, the final mile section along the western side, was finally put out to bid in December!  We expect to have a contractor in place during the first quarter of 2022 and construction on the last mile will begin shortly thereafter. This section and the entire 4-mile loop should be completed in 2023.

Plans for the stream restoration on sections of the College Branch stream on the western side have been underway and we expect that work to begin in summer 2022.  A grant from the North Carolina Land and Water Fund will enable this work. We are partnering with the Piedmont Conservation Council to oversee the project.

The renovation of LoFi Park was completed in 2021. It’s an amazing space.  Thanks to the work of permaculture designers, David Mudd and Justin Vettel, LoFi Park is home to beautiful paths, trees, an artificial turf lawn area, and a rain garden. After an extension of premise permit due to COVID, Joymongers Brewing Company now serves alcohol to be enjoyed in the park.

The spring will bring the addition of 2 more art projects at the Summit Avenue bridge underpass and a new neighborhood artist bench at the corner of East Market Street and Murrow Blvd.

The Freedom Cornerstone design plans have been submitted for review to the TRC Committee and artist Radcliffe Bailey and his team anticipate the start of construction and installation in April 2022.