Anderson city leaders are taking the next step in a bold vision for connectivity. After successfully planning a trail to link Linley Park with the Recreation Center, officials are now exploring how to extend that same pathway all the way into downtown Anderson.

"I think it's exciting. It's a really good opportunity for downtown to grow. We've seen that growth is coming—that's why we put our store here. We just hope it happens fast," said Josh Robinson, a downtown employee who has been following the project closely.

The Vision: A Connected Downtown

The proposed trail would create a continuous off-street pathway connecting three key destinations: Linley Park, the Anderson Recreation Center, and downtown Anderson. For residents and visitors, this means the ability to park downtown and walk or bike to the park or recreation center without ever stepping onto a roadway.

"Very exciting just to see an actual off-street trail to downtown. You could really get it, park downtown, and go from downtown to the rec center to Linley Park. Or, vice versa without ever having to step foot on the road," said Andrew Strickland, Assistant City Manager.

Route Options Under Consideration

The current design phase focuses on a route that would travel from the recreation center, follow Witner Creek, connect to Tribble Street, and ultimately reach downtown. This alignment would be developed in conjunction with the city's street scaping project, which includes widening sidewalks and adding landscape features.

Robinson has a preferred route in mind. He hopes the trail comes through Earle Street, noting that "there's already kind of an established sidewalk that already goes down towards another bridge and just has to be redone."

However, the final route will depend on community input and available funding. "At the end of the day, I know it's going to kind of be up to the people who live down here, and the people who live in the surrounding areas, and how much money we have to throw at it as a city," Robinson acknowledged.

Community Input Coming Soon

City officials emphasize that public participation will shape the final design. Two public meetings are being planned to present different route alternatives to the community.

"We are currently in design right now. Very early stages, where the connection from the rec center, down Witner Creek to Tribble Street, to downtown. We're most likely going to do that in conjunction with the street scaping project," Strickland explained.

City leaders encourage residents to watch for official announcements with meeting dates, which will be released soon.

Learning from Neighboring Communities

Local supporters point to successful trail projects in nearby communities as evidence of what Anderson could achieve. Travelers Rest, Greenville, Easley, and Pendleton have all developed trail systems that have transformed their downtown areas.

"We just want to see it happen. We saw it done for Travelers Rest, Greenville, Easley, and even Pendleton down the road. They've committed to 18 miles of trail, and it's done a lot for them," Robinson said.

Project Timeline

The connectivity trail is being developed in phases. The first segment, connecting Linley Park to the Recreation Center, is expected to be completed by the end of this month. The downtown extension represents the next phase of this growing network.

For downtown business owners like Robinson, the trail can't come soon enough. The project represents not just improved connectivity, but economic opportunity and quality of life for the entire community.

Stay tuned to Electric City Shoutouts for updates on the public meeting dates and opportunities to share your input on this exciting project.