Greenville County plans to move forward with extending the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail through the Sans Souci neighborhood.
A $20.3 million federal infrastructure grant was awarded to the county in 2024 for the planned trail connector. The funding comes from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant program through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Greenville County Administrator Joe Kernell announced the county recently received the fully executed RAISE grant agreement from the U.S. Department of Transportation during a Greenville County Council meeting on Feb. 17. He said the grant does not require a local funding match.
Early plans show the new trail extension branching off from the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail northwest of West Blue Ridge Drive, following Langston Creek and ending at Poinsett Highway. Bob Mihalic, spokesman for Greenville County, said up to two miles of new trail could be created, but the total trail distance will be determined at the time of final alignment.
The trail extension would also run through the planned 240-acre redevelopment of the former Union Bleachery/Cone Mills site. Construction on the redevelopment project’s first phase is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Approximately six pedestrian bridges could be added as part of the project to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety at several roadways. The bridges are planned to span over West Blue Ridge Drive, Old Buncombe Road, North Franklin Road, Poinsett Highway, Sulphur Springs Road and the Reedy River.
County Council Chairman Benton Blount campaigned on the need to build a pedestrian bridge over West Blue Ridge Road (S.C. Highway 253). Blount was elected in 2022 to represent District 19, which covers Sans Souci, Berea, City View and Parker.
“District 19 has desperately needed an overhaul to give more accessibility to trails for our more underserved areas,” Blount said.
County staff, with assistance from an outside program management consultant, plan to complete environmental assessments, topographic surveys and the preliminary engineering for the project. Mihalic said an environmental impact analysis will need to be created, in relation ot the National Environmental Policy Act.
Designs will then be finalized for the project. Construction is tentatively expected to begin in 2030 or 2031.
