City celebrates opening of Clabber Creek Trail extension

Photo: Katie Mihalevich

City officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of a project to extend Clabber Creek Trail on Monday.

The event was held at the beginning of the new section of trail near Gary Hampton Softball Complex on Salem Road in west Fayetteville.

The 1.4-mile extension heads east through Underwood Park, then runs north along the west side of Dean Solomon Road before turning back east to end at Truckers Drive. The added path means Clabber Creek Trail is now 3 miles long.

The new trail section includes motion-sensitive flashing lights at two crosswalks, which guarantees the lights are flashing every time someone is ready to cross without requiring a button to be pushed. A rest area was installed in the new park and includes a hydration station provided in partnership with the Beaver Water District that features a water bottle filler and dog bowl.

From the city:

The Clabber Creek corridor has wide riparian areas with wetlands. This biologically diverse corridor is important for protecting water quality and providing wildlife habitat. The new trail was designed to protect sensitive environmental areas while allowing access for people to enjoy these beautiful spaces. One example is where the trail crosses a spring-fed tributary near Trucker Drive, a 50-foot span bridge was installed leaving the stream and banks untouched

Presenters at the ribbon-cutting included Mayor Lioneld Jordan, along with Matt Mihalevich, the city’s trails coordinator; Amy Wilson, director of public affairs for the Beaver Water District; and Craig and Laura Underwood, who donated 38 acres of the land that now comprises the 58-acre Underwood Park.