Regional staff backs Woodstock trail funds
A proposed extension of the Noonday Creek Trail from Ga. 92 in Woodstock south to Noonday Park in Cobb County has won the support of Atlanta Regional Commission staff, which is recommending $2.5 million in ARC funding for engineering and construction, Woodstock officials announced.
Work has already begun on the pre-engineering and alignment of the two-mile extension. The grant, if approved by the ARC board in early 2018, will be matched with 20 percent local funding from a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax and park impact fees, bringing the project total to nearly $3 million, officials said.
The effort is part of the Greenprints plan, which has created nearly 30 miles of trails in and around Woodstock since 2008. The system, including the Rope Mill Park Mountain Park trails and the first phase of the Noonday Creek trail, sees about 200,000 users per year. The Towne Lake Pass trail is to add another two miles when it officially opens early next year.
“Our focus on eco-tourism including trails and passive park spaces is really starting to take off,” Woodstock Mayor Donnie Henriques said. “Continued investment in this trail system is of utmost importance, and we are excited to see ARC support those investments.”
Other projects recommended to ARC in the Woodstock area include improvements to the Towne Lake/I-575 interchange and the Ga. 92/Trickum Road intersection, and further study of improvements to the Ridgewalk/I-575 interchange, officials said. Information: http://bit.ly/2yYfaLz
