Millions of dollars set aside for new Swamp Rabbit Trail bridge in Greenville

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – New additions are set to come along the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

The Swamp Rabbit Trail’s Green Line ends at a very busy intersection on Verdae Boulevard. Greenville city leaders said they are working to make the crossing safer.

With more than one million trail users a year, members of Greenville City Council said the connectivity of the Swamp Rabbit Trail is always being reviewed and discussed.

This time the focus area is by Verdae Boulevard, a section of the Green Line that council said its wanted to work on for years.

“The last bridge over Verdae was cut when we did the Green Line because of costs,” said Dorothy Dowe, Greenville City Council Member At-Large.

Now, the city is able to follow through with the project. Leaders said $4.5 million has been allocated through funding from the South Carolina Department of Transportation and through the city.

“The city’s portion of the funding is all coming from the hospitality tax revenue,” said Dowe. “I think this is just another great example of how tourism tax revenue can be used for infrastructure that benefits the people that live here.”

In 2023, Dowe said Greenville County received $45 million from hospitality and accommodation tax, $30 million of that came from the City of Greenville. Now, the city and county will work together to not only build the bridge but also expand the trail.

“This bridge will connect to additional trail that the county will provide to connect us all the way to CU- iCar, which is essentially the end of the city limit,” Dowe said.

City and county leaders expect the Green Line’s expansion to Interstate 85 to then lead to a trail connection all the way into the Mauldin. That part officials said will be paid for and built by the City of Mauldin.

Swamp Rabbit Trail users said they are excited.

“I think it will just allow more people to keep going along the trail and see more of Greenville,” Greenville resident Blake Brady said. “I know the golf course right there is super pretty with a lot of wildlife, I think it will just be a great addition.”

While others said they enjoy the trail, they’re not sure the bridge is needed.

“I think it is a great idea, but I don’t think they need it,” Greenville resident, Gerald Martin said. “They’ve got stop lights there so there is no reason you have to shoot across this street so I think it would probably be better if they left the bridge out.”

City council said the main priority for the bridge is the safety of trail users and driving cars nearby.

“The safest connectivity on the trail, when you are crossing a road particularly as one as busy as Verdae is to go over it or under it,” said Dowe. “Crossing it is not safe for pedestrians or cyclists. It is not safe for the car traffic and it hinders the flow of traffic which is critical in Greenville.”

Dowe said once the design is complete and a bid is accepted, construction could begin as early as 2025.

The Green Line runs 18 miles past the City of Travelers Rest, running through Downtown Greenville’s Falls Park and Unity Park.

The city has already built bridges over the Green Line on Pleasantburg and Laurens Road.

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