Just a quick update on the Crabtree Creek greenway repairs:
“As with any construction project, weather delays and necessary additional improvements impact the estimated construction completion dates therefore the Crabtree Creek Trail Structure #106 New Repairs project timeline will be extended for an end of August 2021 estimated construction completion date.”
Hopefully they really do get it done by the end of August. That is such a great trail, and having it broken up in the middle like that is just really unfortunate. I can’t wait to ride the whole trail from end to end as soon as they open it back up.
Yes, it is, and, yes, it’s been out since 2018. I know you posted about this portion of the greenway way back in April 2020, and the existing structure always seemed to this layman like a suboptimal design, and it was nice to have @ScrantonUSC confirm that it was indeed a bad design from the get-go. Hopefully the new and improved version will be a permanent enhancement to the trail. Like I said, I’m really excited for them to open it.
I have floated the neuse from Millburnie dam to Anderson point Park twice. It is a nice float and the bottom of the river is sandier than you would expect. You can check the flow of the river via the USGS website. I actually enjoyed floating it more when it was lower and slower than when it was deeper because there were more rock and bank formations as opposed to the trees “falling into the river”
I rode that section of the trail back in late March and at the time we were able to navigate our way past the closure through very quiet streets in residential neighborhoods, and it wasn’t too much of a problem to get around the closure. It looks like they’ve closed off more of the trail since then. (We actually happened to pass by right as construction crews were using explosives, which was pretty cool.) Does anyone know if there’s still a reasonably convenient way to bypass the closed section?
The problem with the closure at Capital Blvd. is that there’s absolutely no safe way to bypass it. It’s a hard dead-end for cyclists.
I have done it by taking Hodges from Atlantic to Capital. Not ideal but it works. Fine for me but would not want to take kids on it. Especially you have a harrowing but short and narrow section of Capital across Crabtree Creek bridge.
Yeah personally Hodges is not that bad of an option - I personally prefer that to finding out the greenway is closed at North Hills Park and having to bike up that hill to get around the closure…….
Someone posted their ride on Strava recently and it looked like they took the new route. I’m going to explore next time I’m there and see if it’s actually rideable.
I did too and wondered about that myself (my car was parked right next to this from about 9:45am - 1pm). It seems like they may be preserving a little bit of the boardwalk there maybe as a viewing perch or something. I also rode over to the new greenway path and it’s basically a dirt road right now. Would ride it on a mtn or gravel bike.
N&O story on the subject. The old boardwalk will be demolished in the coming months, and a new route along Ratchford is supposed to open by the end of August.
I went by today and even if it’s not officially open yet, the new path is paved all the way. They just have small stuff / cleanup to finish and it should be a matter of days before that section finally re-opens.
It’s less “sexy” than the long board walk, especially the section along Ratchford that doesn’t have shade / trees. Maybe I’m biased and just like boardwalks .
At least it should survive the next creek overflow now .
Problem with boardwalks, for cycling, is that they’re slippery when wet. I’ve seen cyclists fall a couple of times on them. PSA: Do not break hard or turn sharply while riding on a wet boardwalk.
Boardwalks with wood surfaces are bad about that, for sure. These days using heavy concrete planks seems to be all the rage (and substantially solves that problem.)
Learned that the hard way this weekend…especially when wet and the boardwalk doesn’t get much sun. I was curious when riding why they don’t use Trex or some type of plastic product. I’m sure there is a good reason and likely cost, but throwing out there for anyone that might know.
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