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On Tuesday, September 3, the Winston-Salem City Council approved a $1 million agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to design the 1.3-mile extension to Long Branch Trail from the Innovation Quarter to 25th Street.
September 4, 2024
Project Background
The Long Branch Trail opened in 2018 and runs from Martin Luther King Jr. Drive through the Innovation Quarter to Salem Creek Greenway — a total of about 1.7 miles.
Phase II Details
The expansion will run along an inactive rail line. The projected timeline includes:
- Design phase: Less than a year
- Groundbreaking: Late 2025
- Completion: Late 2026
Funding for the expansion comes from a RAISE grant Winston-Salem received in 2022, additional federal funds, and local matches. The project has a total budget of $8.6 million.
Why It Matters
This project is one of the ways Winston-Salem is working toward becoming a more connected city with walkable trails. In fact, the Long Branch Trail extension is not the only walking path project underway – work on the Salem Parkway Multi-Use Path began in July 2024.
Additionally, the extension and the increased foot traffic it brings could encourage developers to transform the deserted industrial buildings along the path into usable spaces.
