Shovels hit dirt and construction began Monday on 2.6 miles of trail on the South Chickamauga Greenway.
The 11-mile trail eventually will connect Camp Jordan in East Ridge to the Tennessee Riverpark.
"Health and wellness is just a walk in the park," said Larry Zehnder, the city's parks and recreation director. "Soon, it will be a walk on the South Chickamauga Greenway."
City officials broke ground on the extension of the greenway -- portions already exist around the Brainerd Levee and near the Waterhaven subdivision off Harrison Pike. Two new portions are being built at a cost of $2.9 million.
A section at the northern end of the trail pushes the greenway closer to the Tennessee Riverpark, while the other section will move the trail closer to the Brainerd levee.
The pathway will be 10 feet wide and made of compacted concrete, Mr. Zehnder said. Portions also will be made of wood, he said.
"This construction will get us more than two-thirds of the way finished," he said.
Rick Wood, executive director of the Trust for Public Land, said about five real estate transactions -- totaling about $475,000 -- made the trail possible.
Officials said the new portion of the trail should be completed by December, but they did not know when the entire course will be completed.
Jim Ogden, historian for the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, said there is a rich Civil War history in the area and he planned to bring tours to the greenway.
The day before the Battle of Missionary Ridge in 1863, a skirmish broke out on the banks of South Chickamauga Creek near Waterhaven, he said.
"There was some fighting going on across the creek from where we stand," Mr. Ogden said.
Councilman Russell Gilbert said that kind of history will attract children and tourists.
"It's wonderful," he said. "It's the historical part. Kids can see the history."