State St. is a safe and quiet passage under the beltline near the eastern edge of downtown. The connector links the Biltmore Hills Park area south of I-40 to the southern downtown neighborhoods near the Walnut Creek Wetland Center at the corner of Peterson St. and State St. The Walnut Creek Trail passes under State… Continue reading State St. Underpass
Author: Craig Brown
Chander Dr. Bridge
There are two easy 540 crossings in north Raleigh. The tunnel on Honeycutt Trail is on the greenway system, and links the Shelley Lake area with the Honeycutt Park area and points north. The Chander Dr. bridge over 540 is about 2 miles west of the Honeycutt tunnel and seems a gift from the planning… Continue reading Chander Dr. Bridge
Milburnie Dam Bridge
Just south of the old Milburnie Dam site off the Neuse River Tail this bridge crosses the Neuse River. From the bridge, the view to the north is of the old dam site and of an area known as ‘Raleigh Beach’. The dam was removed in 2017 but had existed at that point in the… Continue reading Milburnie Dam Bridge
Break on Through – the beltline
This section then is about the ‘doors’ to the world beyond the beltline. Some are obvious structures incorporated into the greenway system, while others are less obvious bridges and underpasses on roads which carry less traffic than the main crossings. To the south of town, three street connectors cross the highway. The bridge on Trailwood… Continue reading Break on Through – the beltline
Gemini 13.6
This is about pairs. Both routes use beltline crossings at Trailwood Rd. and State St. that are safer alternatives to big streets such as Hammond, Wilmington, Gorman, and Garner. The feel of the ride around South Saunders and Hammond isn’t exactly what we look for in peaceful greenway rides, but the light industrial section only… Continue reading Gemini 13.6
Howling Cow Ice Cream Run 12.4 miles
Just south of town, a parallel universe with huge agricultural fields traversed by dirt roads awaits the adventurous cyclist. This scenic ride has the feel of rural farmland even though it is only 4 miles from the center of Raleigh. The route turns at Lake Wheeler Rd., just a stone’s throw from the Howling Cow… Continue reading Howling Cow Ice Cream Run 12.4 miles
Skycrest Loop 29.3 miles
Shrink and stretch this loop as your time and legs allow. The interesting part of this route is the Raleigh Blvd., Skycrest, Southhall link between the Crabtree Creek Greenway and the Neuse River Trail. For a little hill work, and as an alternative to taking Crabtree Creek Trail out east to the Neuse River Trail,… Continue reading Skycrest Loop 29.3 miles
The Alphabet Project
A sewer-up is a structure that looks like a rustic version of the nose of a Space Shuttle rising out of the ground. Greenways users are familiar with them as many of the greenways around Raleigh follow sewer lines. Often you can smell the sewer-ups long before you see them. Raleigh Artist Morgan Cook has… Continue reading The Alphabet Project
Williamson Preserve
The Williamson Preserve is a relatively new trail-riding spot that straddles the Wake/Johnson county line just off the Neuse River Trail between mile marker 27 and 28. There is parking off Mial Plantation road if you want to schlepp your bike by car. To add some variety to your greenway ride, you can access the… Continue reading Williamson Preserve
Reedy Creek Pedestrian Bridge
On April 16, 2005, one of the most significant links in the Raleigh Greenway system was opened on the Reedy Creek Trail. This 660-foot long bridge accelerated public interest in the greenway system. Designed with the Sydney, Australia Harbor Bridge in mind, and costing $3.8 million, the Reedy Creek Pedestrian Bridge now links the Meredith… Continue reading Reedy Creek Pedestrian Bridge