New Swamp Rabbit Trail connector opens in Greenville

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A new Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail connector is officially open to the public in Greenville’s Hollingsworth communities.

Construction for the public-private partnership project, “The Legacy Connector,” started in June and includes a bridge and boardwalk system over Laurel Creek. It is approximately one-third of a mile with the goal to connect the Hollingsworth communities and Legacy Park to the Green Line of the Swamp Rabbit Trail, said city of Greenville spokesperson Beth Brotherton.

The Verdae Development Corp. paid for the design and construction of the trail connector, said Brotherton, and upon completion, the Greenville City Council voted to take ownership and maintenance of it. Cost of the project was approximately $3.5 million.

“The Legacy Connector fulfills multiple city council priorities: neighborhoods, public safety, mobility, and recreation,” said Brotherton. “Providing safe pathways for our residents to reach recreational amenities for exercise and play is critical to maintaining and improving quality of life. We are blessed with a temperate climate, where outdoor activity is possible year-round. Connections from neighborhoods to our parks and trail system further promotes community health.”

There are three other city projects involving the Swamp Rabbit Trail that were constructed as part of the city’s trail extension plan: Cleveland Connector (“The Paper Clip”), Laurens Road Bridge and Haywood Bridge, which were designed to connect the neighborhoods to the Swamp Rabbit Trail Green Line.

In June, after years of planning and execution, the 28.2-mile Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail Green Line extension officially opened for use as well as the Laurens and Haywood Bridges. The Legacy Connector project is not one of the “Laurens Road Trail Spurs,” but is a separate project that will provide additional access and expand the connectivity of one of these upcoming Spurs, said Brotherton. The city is still in the design phase of three connections to the Green Line, that include Nicholtown, Gower and Verdae, she added.

The Laurens Road corridor is already built out and “urbanized,” and the extension will allow greater access to residents and commuters to their offices, businesses, homes, and recreational activities while being an economic driver for the city. The trail counter had estimated more than one million people a year are on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, according to a previous GSA Business Report.

The pedestrian bridge over Verdae Boulevard is currently being designed and engineered under a city contract with Consor Engineering, which will continue through most of 2024, said Brotherton. Once design is complete, the city will coordinate with Greenville County on construction funding and final ownership. Greenville installed a full push button activated trail crossing that utilizes full stop signals for both vehicular and trail users, which has been operational since December 2022.