Saluda Grade Trail gets big boost from newly-passed N.C. budget
A new rail trail along the route of the historic Saluda Grade railroad received significant funding in the newly-passed North Carolina state budget, which included $12 million over two years to purchase the portion of the rail corridor in North Carolina.
According to a news release from Conserving Carolina, this is in addition to the $15 million appropriated in South Carolina to purchase the rail corridor in that state. The budget says that the purpose of the funding is “to take advantage of an unprecedented opportunity for the citizens of North Carolina to celebrate 2023 as the Year of the Trail and enhance the reputation of North Carolina as the Great Trails State by acquiring the Saluda Grade rail corridor for conversion into the Saluda Grade Trail,” the news release said.
“We are grateful for this major investment in the Saluda Grade Trail, so this unused rail line can once again serve as a vital asset for our communities," Kieran Roe, executive director of Conserving Carolina, said in the release. "Norfolk Southern is ready to sell the railroad corridor, and this proposed funding would allow us to seize this opportunity for our communities and our state. The Saluda Grade Trail has extraordinary potential to benefit our local economies, outdoor recreation and health.”
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The funding goes toward the purchase of the rail corridor, although additional funding will be needed to complete the purchase and build the trail. Donations to the Saluda Grade Trail can be made through saludagradetrail.org.
The Saluda Grade Trail is a proposed 31.5-mile rail trail that would pass through scenic countryside and downtowns. It would extend from Inman, South Carolina, and pass through the South Carolina towns of Campobello and Landrum and the North Carolina towns of Tryon and Saluda, before reaching Zirconia. The trail would be a linear park, accessible to people of all abilities and open for walking, running, biking and other forms of outdoor recreation, the release said.
The trail includes approximately 16 miles in North Carolina and 15.5 miles in South Carolina. It was spearheaded by the Saluda Grade Trail Conservancy and a coalition of three nonprofits — Conserving Carolina in North Carolina, PAL: Play, Advocate, Live Well and Upstate Forever in South Carolina.
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The Saluda Grade Trail Conservancy has begun an in-depth study of the trail’s economic impact. It is currently seeking public input on the vision for the trail.
The community is invited to participate in public input sessions from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Inman Public Library in Inman, S.C., and from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at Polk County High School in Columbus. More information about these sessions and other ways to provide input can be found at saludagradetrail.org.
Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: N.C. budget includes major funding to future Saluda Grade Trail
