Study Overview

In 2023, the City received a Feasibility Study Grant from NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division to investigate options to link the Ecusta Trail near downtown Hendersonville with the Oklawaha Greenway in Jackson Park and the 7th Avenue Historic District. This project is called Above the Mud in reference to its proximity to Mud Creek. The City of Hendersonville and Henderson County have made great strides in building a connected greenway network that includes the Ecusta Trail, the Oklawaha Greenway, and the Clear Creek Greenway. While working to build longer segments of the trail and greenway network, the City of Hendersonville is also interested in filling smaller trail and greenway gaps that connect these larger trails.

Since receiving the grant, the City has been working to identify a route that is comfortable for people who walk and bike, has community support, and can be funded and constructed. The team working on the project has identified two alternatives that meet the goals of the project. The purpose of this survey is to learn how community members would use this future greenway.

Click HERE to learn more about feasibility studies like this one.

Project Study Area

Before we dive into the survey, let's get oriented to the project study area. The following maps illustrate the project study area and two possible options (which we call alternatives) for this greenway connection. Click on the image of each map to expand the view. These maps show the two trail alternatives being investigated in this study. A brief description of each alternative is below.

Alternative A

This alternative assumes the City of Hendersonville can acquire the segment of the remaining active rail line owned by Watco that extends from the Ecusta Trail (under construction) north to 7th Avenue. Alternative A would convert the remaining rail line to a paved shared use path that would extend to 7th Avenue – essentially, this would be an extension of the Ecusta Trail. In addition, a sidepath along 4th Avenue would continue east into Jackson Park to connect with the existing Oklawaha Greenway.

Alternative B

This alternative assumes that it is not feasible to convert the remaining active Watco Ecusta line to a trail. From the Ecusta Trail section that is under construction, Alternative B would depart from the railbed at a point just east of S. King Street and turns south to cross Mud Creek via a proposed pedestrian bridge. On the south side of Mud Creek, it would continue to the east on City-owned land. It would cross South Grove Street and then follow a proposed sewer easement to connect to Jackson Park as it passes under a railroad bridge. This alternative B would connect to the existing Oklawaha Greenway in Jackson Park and then continue west towards downtown as a sidepath along 4th Avenue. This alternative also would include a trail spur between 4th and 7th Avenues, generally following the Watco rail right-of-way.