Children smiled and waved in delight as they rode on their bicycles, for the first time, down the newly opened Green Line extension of the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail.
“This is what quality of life in Greenville, South Carolina looks like. This is also what good planning and great partnership looks like,” said Mayor Knox White during the Opening Celebration of the extension on Friday, June 16.
In this cooperative city-county project, the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail extension runs from Cleveland Park to Verdae Boulevard along the north side of Laurens Road. It’s the latest expansion of Greenville’s premiere multi-use greenway that now runs from CU-ICAR to Travelers Rest — with bikeable, walkable connections to various neighborhoods and parks as well as downtown.
“It’s been very gratifying to see what’s become of the old rundown railroad that the County acquired over 20 years ago,” said Greenville County Council Chairman Butch Kirven. “Through a lot of hard work and partnerships, we’re at this point today to open this exciting trail.”
Additional projects are underway to further connect the Green Line to the community. The construction of a Legacy Park trail connector and bridge between Legacy Park and the Green Line extension is being permitted, with a completion goal of the winter of 2023-24. Also underway are trail spurs that will provide a direct connection for the Nicholtown, Gower and Verdae neighborhoods.