The City of Paducah has received the green light from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Office of Local Programs to advertise for bids for the next phase of the Greenway Trail project.  Bids will be advertised this weekend with a bid opening scheduled in May.  Construction will begin this summer with an official groundbreaking ceremony.  The project will take 120 days to complete.

Mayor Bill Paxton says, “Good things come to those who wait.  When you use federal grant money, the process takes longer for approval, but in the end Paducah is going to have a wonderful trail.”  Mayor Paxton adds, “I can’t wait until the next phase is finished.  I spend a lot of time walking the existing greenway trail and am ready for a new section to enjoy.”

This phase will complete a new stretch of greenway trail that follows the floodwall earthen levee from the Expo Center in downtown Paducah to North 8th Street behind the Smoke Shop near the Brookport Bridge.  This section of the greenway trail, funded by a 2006 federal Transportation Enhancement grant, will add approximately 8800 linear feet (1.67 miles) of trail for pedestrians and bicyclists to enjoy.  Parks Services Director Mark Thompson says, “I’m ecstatic that the next phase has received approval.  This allows us to expand our health and wellness opportunities in Paducah.”

A future stretch of the greenway trail, which is under design, will connect the existing greenway trail in Noble Park to this phase.

The City of Paducah unveiled the first segment of its greenway trail at a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 1, 2008.  The existing greenway trail, which runs from Noble Park to County Park Road at the Perkins Creek Nature Preserve, is approximately 1.75 miles in length and winds its way behind Bluegrass Downs and through the Disc Golf Course at Stuart Nelson Park.   

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