Greenway Board Reports on Several Projects

The Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway Board, meeting in their regularly-scheduled monthly board meeting, discussed progress on several aspects and looked to the future on others.

Two grants have been submitted over the past year which will benefit the greenway if approved. The largest request is through the state of Tennessee for Phase III which would take the linear park from its current terminus at 20^th Street, under two bridges at 20^th and 17^th streets and end at Willow Street. According to Bradley County Planner Amy Moore, a decision from the state on the grant is expected later this year.

Moore also reported that a separate Transportation Enhancement Grant would help to fund a portion of the greenway from Paul Huff Parkway southward to Mimosa Drive.  Currently a ¼ mile section of the greenway is complete between Paul Huff and Mohawk Drive beside Home DePot. Plans are for the greenway to continue under Paul Huff Parkway, emerging on property owned by the City of Cleveland next to the fire hall and City Schools transportation center. Partnering on this phase will be the City of Cleveland and Cleveland Utilities, which has agreed to work with the City as it develops a water management project in the area.

The Greenway board also heard a progress report on the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) project for replacement of the bridge near the intersection of Mimosa and Mouse Creek Road. As part of the project, scheduled to begin later this summer, TDOT has agreed to build a connector under the new bridge similar to the underpass TDOT constructed when the 25^th Street bridge was widened. When completed, the underpass would allow for safe, unimpeded access under Mouse Creek Road, a key element of the master plan for the greenway.

Among the discussed topics was the investigation of the Greenway going south below the Village Green along Mouse Creek  The original master plan has the greenway terminating (or beginning) at the Village Green and eventually leading to the Hiwassee River. Board chairman Matthew Brown volunteered to investigate the feasibility of this option before the next meeting.

The Board also discussed other aspects of the greenway including the addition of picnic tables at the Harris Creek trailhead. The tables were placed by the City of Cleveland Recreation Department.  City Manager Joe Cate stated that some greenway patrons had expressed concerns over lighting in the area of Keith and 25^th Street. Some trees are reported blocking the light which shines on the greenway near the intersection. Cate reported that there will be an investigation into the concern, as well as checking on the status of lighting of the underpass. Cleveland Utilities has ordered fixtures which will rectify this concern.

Cleveland Parks and Recreation Director Patti Pettit presented options to help alleviate voiced concerns over a growing problem of dog droppings on the greenway. The board discussed stricter enforcement of stated policies of pet owners who do not control the animals in this regard. Currently, signs note that leashes are required of all pets on the greenway. Pettit presented two options for placement of dog droppings in special containers. The Recreation Department is investigating the installation of the containers.  

In a final action, the board went on record to express their thanks to the Cleveland Police Department for their recent implementation of regular patrolling of the greenway.