Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Roanoke County and the City of Salem held a ribbon cutting on Thursday, Nov. 6 to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of the West Roanoke River Greenway.
Speakers included members of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, County Administrator Richard Caywood, members of Salem City Council, and a representative from the Commonwealth Transportation Board. The event took place at 2244 West Riverside Drive in Salem.
Phase 1 of the greenway extends approximately 0.6 miles along the south side of the Roanoke River, connecting the far western end near Mill Lane farther down Riverside Drive into Roanoke County. The project features a 10-foot-wide paved trail, retaining walls, a 26-space paved parking lot, a crosswalk on West Riverside Drive, and additional improvements including fencing, signage, and drainage upgrades.
The $12.6 million project was financed through federal and state funding sources, including the Highway Safety Improvement Program, Open Container, Regional Surface Transportation Program, and Smart Scale Program. Construction began in September 2023 and was recently completed.
Phase 2 of the project, officials said, will extend the greenway from the parking lot to Green Hill Park.
