Cary to Mark National Trails Day with Public Dedication of Chatham County Segment of American Tobacco Trail
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2010
Cary to Mark National Trails Day with Public Dedication of Chatham County Segment of American Tobacco Trail
CARY, NC – Citizens are invited to locally celebrate National Trails Day at the dedication ceremony of the Chatham County segment of the American Tobacco Trail, set for Saturday, June 5 at 10 a.m. at the Pittard Sears Trail Crossing on Pittard Sears Road. The ceremony, hosted by the Town of Cary, Chatham County, NC Department of Transportation, Wake County, North Carolina Horse Council and Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, will include refreshments, bike decorating and various educational booths featuring information on all elements of the trail.
“Based on feedback from the public, trails are a top recreation priority here in our county,” said Tracy Burnett, Director of Chatham County Parks & Recreation. “The new segment of the American Tobacco Trail offers an additional recreational amenity that meets a popular need, and we encourage those attending the ceremony to bike or hike to the event in honor of National Trails Day.”
The $2.2 million project, funded by NCDOT’s SAFETEA LU grant, is a 4.67 mile asphalt trail with an adjacent compacted granite screenings trail. Construction for this trail segment began in 2008, with construction starting in 2008. The Town of Cary oversaw construction administration of the project and, once open, will maintain the segment for the next five years. The Town of Cary is planning to develop a future trailhead park with financial assistance from Chatham County.
“This segment of the American Tobacco Trail lies near our Town limits, and assisting in its completion and maintenance directly benefits our residents,” said Doug McRainey, Parks Planning Manager. “The Town’s greenway system plan is designed to make several connections to the American Tobacco Trail, and this latest project is another part of our continuing long-range effort to develop and maintain a system of interlinked off-road routes designed to give pedestrians and cyclists safe and easy access to popular points throughout the area.”
The American Tobacco Trail is a recreational rail-trail located on an abandoned railroad corridor. In 2004, the Department of the Interior designated the American Tobacco Trail as part of the National Recreation Trails System. To date, roughly 15 miles of the American Tobacco Trail have been completed, with the remaining development left in Durham County.
"When the full 22-mile long American Tobacco Trail is completed in 2011, the Triangle will have one of the best alternative transportation corridors in North Carolina,” said Tom Norman, Director of NCDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Division. “The trail will traverse urban, suburban and rural landscapes, connecting downtown Durham with RTP and many residential developments that are being built in Durham, Chatham and Wake Counties. We look forward to additional trail connections tying to the ATT so that a growing network of interconnected trails will offer pedestrians and cyclists a pleasant and healthful way to reach many destinations in the region."
In the event of inclement weather, the dedication ceremony will be moved to June 6, 2010 at 2 p.m. For more information, including directions to the dedication site, visit Greenways at www.townofcary.org or call (919) 469-4061.
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PRIMARY CONTACTS:
Doug McRainey, Parks Planning Manager, (919) 460-4973
Deanna Boone, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 462-3908
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951
