[BRUNSWICK] – The Brunswick City Commission yesterday overwhelmingly endorsed the Coastal Georgia Greenway, a proposed 161-mile system of trails traversing coastal Georgia from Florida to South Carolina.
Brunswick’s endorsement brings to 10 the number of municipal and county governments that have expressed support for the project over the past 4 weeks. Brunswick’s Mayor Bryan Thompson states that “Preliminary analysis indicates that the 155-mile trail will pay for itself within three years, with a projected six percent increase in valuation in each county it traverses every year thereafter. It will help provide safe and accessible routes for pedestrians, bikes, scooters and golf carts, will enable mobility-challenged individuals, tie together currently isolated segments of local communities, and enhance the value of residential developments. The Coastal Georgia Greenway will immediately create significant positive economic impact for Georgia’s coastal communities.”
On July 13th, the Jekyll Island Authority also passed supporting resolutions. Jones Hooks, Executive Director, Jekyll Island Authority states, “As Jekyll Island revitalization moves forward, we are looking at more than bricks and mortar. We are looking at opportunities that will allow our guests to enjoy the natural assets of Jekyll Island. Certainly, the Coastal Georgia Greenway Trail fits this goal perfectly. I am pleased to encourage support of the Coastal Georgia Greenway Trails project!”
“As growth in coastal Georgia continues, it is essential that we protect and position for the enjoyment of others our unique cultural and natural assets. The Coastal Georgia Greenway project is one of the important first steps in creating low impact eco-tourism on our coast. The Coastal Georgia Greenway project should help to preserve for future generations our natural and cultural assets thereby assuring an unparalled quality of life on our coast,” says J. Howard Morrison, Jr. of Lebanon Plantation in Savannah.
The City of Savannah is assisting in the grant-writing process and will assist with project administration, when funded. Mayor Otis Johnson of Savannah notes, “The Coastal Georgia Greenway project scores on many fronts: it would boost our economy through improvements to tourism and quality of life, provide recreational opportunities within a short distance of many of our residents, and would serve as a centerpiece of an improved network for nonmotorized transportation. This project would advance goals of our Thrive and Healthy Savannah initiatives, and the City of Savannah is very enthusiastic about efforts to seek funding for the Coastal Georgia Greenway.”
Other coastal Georgia communities have formally endorsed the greenway in the last month:
- Chatham County
- Bryan County
- McIntosh County
- Glynn County
- Darien
- Kingsland
- Riceboro
- Woodbine
- Richmond Hill
Additional endorsements are anticipated in the coming weeks.
The full press release is available here, or you can read on below.
Posted on August 6th, 2009 by Drew Wade
Filed under: Bryan County, Camden County, Chatham County, Glynn County, Latest News, Liberty County, McIntosh County | No Comments »
As many of you are aware, we have been working for 
Big things are underway for the Coastal Georgia Greenway. After a little over a year of grassroots development, the Coastal Georgia Greenway is planning the launch of its own 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Coastal Georgia Greenway, Inc. We will be meeting tomorrow night, Thursday, May 29 at 6:30pm at Holton’s Seafood Restaurant in Midway, I-95 Exit 76, @ US 84 (13711 E Oglethorpe Hwy) to identify a steering committee charged with identifying a board and bylaws for our group.