James Eubank with Outdoor Chattanooga performs a wheelie on a bicycle at the grand opening celebration day of the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway on Saturday, April 9, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The greenway connects to the Tennessee Riverpark near Amnicola highway.Children ran across it, eyeing the circus-style bicycles waiting on the other side. Older Chattanoogans walked across, savoring the moment.
The Trust for Public Land officially opened the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway connector bridge Saturday, linking the greenway to the Tennessee Riverwalk in a major step forward for the city's growing network of urban trails.
"People can go from their front porch to the front porch of Chattanooga," Trust for Public Land Tennessee Director Rick Wood said as children rode past him on bicycles during a celebratory morning just off Amnicola Highway, where the Riverwalk and greenway intersect.
The 190-foot bridge and the one-mile stretch of the greenway that formally opened allow bicyclists and pedestrians to travel seamlessly from East Chattanooga neighborhoods to the Riverwalk in the latest link in what will soon be a 270-degree arc of pathways looping from East Ridge to St. Elmo.
Nearly 30,000 people live within a 10-minute walk of the greenway, which now awaits the completion of its final piece, a three-mile stretch between the Brainerd levee and Faith Road. That portion is in the design phase, and there is no timetable yet for construction.
Saturday was about celebrating the great progress that has been made.
"I think this makes Chattanooga a good place to live," said Nan Zamata, a resident of the Tyner neighborhood who came for the celebration with her husband, Jay. "It improves the quality of life."
The Trust for Public Land raised $2.5 million for the project, which included the bridge's $800,000 price tag. The bridge arrived in November, paving the way for the final bits of construction.
"It's been 20 years in the making, but really two years of work on fundraising and construction for this project," Wood said. "And now there's true connectivity into neighborhoods. This is a big deal."
The day included a 5K run and a paddling trip led by Outdoor Chattanooga, which also provided bikes. A group of women went through a yoga routine on the grass as lunchtime approached and food trucks opened.
Meanwhile, joggers ran across the bridge as the Old Time Travelers strummed folk tunes that drifted through the brisk air, accompanying the laughter of children.
"I think the outdoor element of Chattanooga is probably one of the best common denominators for all ethnic backgrounds," Chattanooga resident Bruce Blohm said. "I think that's one of the things we can do in keeping our city sustainable. We have some problems right now, but the outdoors is a common denominator."
Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.