One of Fayetteville’s most popular trails is about to get an overhaul. A new 6-foot wide concrete surface will be constructed and lights will be added as part of the upcoming Wilson Park Trail Renovation and Lighting project.
City officials yesterday announced the completion of the construction documents. Work is expected to begin in early September and be completed in April of 2011.
The existing asphalt trail in Wilson Park was completed in 1996. Since then, the trail has been heavily used and has outlived its lifespan. Signs of erosion and buckling have been evident for several years and officials say the trail is in need of replacement.
Cracked asphalt on the trail
From the news release:
Numerous citizens have requested lights on this trail since the trail was completed in 1996. Lighting is needed along the trail due to heavy use in the evening and early morning hours. The addition of lighting will provide a safer place for people to exercise and expanded hours for the trail to be used comfortably. The project also includes the construction of raised, colored concrete crosswalks at four existing entry drives, providing an additional safety feature for trail users.
Due to the popularity of the trail, the city says that the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board has supported the project, but that funding has not been available until this year. The project was approved as part of the 2010 Capitol Improvement Plan. Parks Development (HMR tax) and Park Land Dedication (Southwest Quadrant) will provide funding for the project.
Map of Wilson Park Trail (AccessFayetteville.org)
I wish the park folks would help Walker Park trails. Lights were promised a couple of years ago; brush is way overgrown on the trails. In some spots you can barely walk through without getting whipped in the face. The trails are showing signs of neglect, and when Walker park is mowed huge clumps of grass are left on the clean cut.
Walker Park is a beautiful and the largest park by far in Fayetteville. Come on Connie give the South side some needed attention.
Isn’t there some sort of plan to connect Walker Park with the Frisco Trail, or was that part of some development that got squashed? I think when that connection happens, we’ll see some more activity and work done at Walker Park.
Wilson Park is easily the most heavily used city park and it will be nice to have full-sized lighted trails there.
There are miles and miles of trails planned. But it’s going to take a long time before they’re all built. And that’s assuming funding for the trails continues and not diverted to other uses. For one I think certain trails have already been planned out for the next year or two. But it is planned to work it’s way down there. But they’ll also have to figure out how they’re going to cross MLK. But a bridge or tunnel isn’t going to come cheap.
Turning the lights off on the trails, so we can light up this park and repave the perfectly acceptable trail that is in place! Why don’t we just close all other parks, and funnel EVERY dime to this one!
[...] is underway on the trail renovation and lighting project which includes a complete replacement of the existing 6-foot wide asphalt park trail and the [...]