Sowashee Creek phase 1 complete

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) - The Sowashee Creek Bike Trail project has been in the making for nearly 10 years. Supervisor Joe Norwood gave an update on phase one and when phase two will begin Thursday.

“We just completed phase one. Inside phase one was the parking lot for Mount Barton. As you see today, we have the food box program we have going on here at Multi-County. It serves a triple purpose. That is where we are today. We are waiting on the parking lot to be clear. Next month we won’t have all this traffic in this area. We will be able to put them all in the back of the building to take some of the pressure of the regular street traffic here,” said Norwood.

Norwood said the project ties in with the new courthouse being built on 22nd Avenue, at the old Village Fair Mall property.

“This project is to go through from 29th Avenue to 22nd Avenue. Phase one was going through 29th Avenue through Grand Avenue. We have completed that. The next round of money we are looking to get at will start at Grand Avenue and go up to 22nd Avenue. We hope to have that going on at the same time while we are building the courthouse,” said Norwood.

The trail is meant for cyclists, runners and people who want to walk.

“We do a lot of 5Ks and 10Ks and marathons here that people travel all over the state to come. It is a great start to something I’d like to see expanded and go a little longer than what it is,” said Mike Couch, a runner.

Marathon organizer Tim Irvine said this project will help show more of the city, especially when the trail heads to 22nd Avenue.

“Certainly, this gives us another place to have races. You know, we love Bonita. We love Northeast Park and Highland Park. But you know, you can never have too many places to go and have a running event. When you have a running event in various parts of the city, besides just one or two, you’re able to showcase more of the city. You know, you have to keep in mind that a lot of the time people come in from out of town. That’s how they get introduced to your city through events, whether it’s the Jimmie Rodgers Festival or Threefoot Festival or even a running event,” said Irvine.

Eighty percent of the funding came from the state and 20% from local funding.

Copyright 2022 WTOK. All rights reserved.