Roswell, Alpharetta link their greenways

From Old Milton Parkway to Old Alabama Road, walkers, hikers and bikers can enjoy pristine areas of North Fulton along Big Creek now that Alpharetta and Roswell have linked their two trails.

For years, the two cities have worked on trails for walkers, joggers and cyclists, Roswell at its Big Creek Park between Mansell and Old Alabama roads and Alpharetta with its Big Creek Greenway, which stretches from Mansell to Webb Bridge roads.

It had always been a dream more than a plan to link the two and open up trails for just about the entire North Fulton area. Saturday, Oct. 25, the dream became a reality when the combined trail system, christened Big Creek Greenway, was opened by officials from both cities and the county.

Outdoor enthusiasts can travel nearly 10 miles by foot or by self-propelled wheels – no engines allowed – along 12-foot sidewalks that meander along Big Creek into Big Creek Park. In addition to the 3-plus miles of trail Roswell has at its park, there is a mountain bike course built by members of the Roswell mountain bike club, RAMBO.

Roswell acquired the land to make the last "link" and spent $418,000 finishing out the system to connect Alpharetta's six miles of trail to Roswell's three, not including the mountain bike trails. Georgia Development Partners, a recreational company for nearly a decade, built the last connecting bit of trail.

Mayor Jere Wood said this is not the ending but the beginning. He envisions first linking the Big Creek Greenway to Roswell's River Walk Park along the Chattahoochee, then taking it to Cobb County. Alpharetta and Forsyth County are talking about links to their respective parks along McGinnis Ferry Road, and the Johns Creek Greenway master plan calls for that city to link with Alpharetta on McGinnis and at Webb Bridge Park.

"It is just incredible what is happening," said Wood. "All of these parks and greenways see the advantages of connecting. Eventually I see it connecting to the Silver Comet Trail."

The Silver Comet Trail is over 61 miles long using abandoned railroad rights of way. It starts near in Smyrna, in Cobb County, and ends at the Georgia-Alabama state line, near Cedartown.

There the Silver Comet connects to the 33-mile Chief Ladiga Trail in Alabama.

"This all part of a great system that is coming together," said Roswell Councilman Jerry Orlans.

The enthusiasm runs both ways.

Alpharetta Mayor Arthur Letchas noted his city passed three bond referendums to get its side of the Greenway built with an average approval vote of more than 80 percent.

"We start the phase to Windward next year," Letchas said. "It is a big payoff to all of the citizens when we can do something like this."

Alpharetta Councilman Jim Paine said," From day one, the idea was to connect the Alpharetta Greenway to Roswell. Now that day is here."

Alpharetta was able to acquire almost all of the land for its portion of the Greenway by approaching developers to donate their property along Big Creek. It was mostly undevelopable land, and many businesses quickly saw the advantage of having a Greenway as an amenity for its employees.

Mike Young is an avid cyclist, but he is perhaps even more excited that the extended Big Creek Greenway will now allow him to commute to work by bicycle rather than by car.

"I can now get to the trail at work or from my home. So now I can get there by bike and never get on any of these North Fulton roads," Young said. "I'm looking forward to that."
- www.northfulton.com

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