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Brent Riley (left) and Chris Barlow along a stretch of Back Creek along U.S. 221 in Southwest Roanoke County that they're eyeing as a future park.

If you travel south on U.S. 221 with any regularity, you’re well aware of scars on the southwest Roanoke County landscape from the huge road-straightening project just south of Cave Spring.

Some residents of the area see those considerable changes as an opportunity to launch the Roanoke Valley’s next big greenway project.

They envision 5.5miles of bike lanes and paved paths connecting Cave Spring Middle School with the new South County Library in the Penn Forest neighborhood, an area that has nothing like that now.

In one respect, that’s a long-term dream, because building bike lanes and paved paths usually happens at a pace that makes a tortoise look like an Olympic sprinter.

But the centerpiece and linchpin of the prospective greenway is a plot of land that may be within shorter-term reach. It’s along a stretch of Back Creek right around the infamous (and soon-to-be history) U.S. 221 S-curves, just north of Cotton Hill Road.

Chris Barlow and Brent Riley, two southwest county residents who’ve been quietly devising this plan for more than a year, took me on a tour of that section Tuesday.

What I saw just below the existing road was a sun-dotted and largely pristine stretch of creek that’s a world away from cars whizzing just 60 or so feet above.

There, beneath towering trees and amid an undergrowth that includes honeysuckle, mint and wild garlic mustard, shallow waters gurgle gently through the rock-strewn creek bed.

“It’s like our little Back Creek wilderness,” Barlow said.

READ THE REST OF THIS COLUMN HERE.

Another section of Back Creek that has future park potential, just north of the photo above.

Part of the switchback on a soon-to-open stretch of the Roanoke River Greenway, which connects to the Tinker Creek Greenway | Photo by Dan

If you’re a regular on the Roanoke River Greenway, the city of Roanoke has a big treat in store for you next month.

It’s a $3.4 million extension in southeast Roanoke that connects to the Tinker Creek Greenway.

The new section is not open yet — contractors are putting the finishing touches on it. Beware: signs are up warning trespassers may be prosecuted.

But city officials gave me a sneak peak Tuesday so I could tell you what’s coming and how it differs from what you’re used to. As soon as it opens, it’ll be my favorite stretch of that linear park.

First, this 0.85-mile section is quiet. It’s away from cars and cuts through woods and along a wider-than-typical (and mostly undeveloped) stretch of the Roanoke River east of the sewage treatment plant.

Project Engineer Joe Johnson-Koroma | Photo by Dan

That’ll be a break after you’ve navigated the stretch that parallels busy Riverland Road and Bennington Street Southeast.

Second, it sports the biggest-by-far footbridge in the Roanoke Valley greenway system. Including ramps on each end that flank two center sections, the Alabama-built bridge measures 660 feet — longer than two football fields. It makes an interesting, 90-degree turn in the middle.

Tuesday I dragged photographer Kyle Green over there as Project Engineer Joe Johnson-Koroma gave us a tour.

“Wow!” was Green’s initial reaction upon spying that monster. “This looks like something you’d see in a big city.”

READ THE REST OF THIS COLUMN HERE

The new, 660-foot bridge along the a soon to open stretch of the Roanoke River Greenway in Southeast Roanoke



The newest stretch of the Roanoke River Greenway, which goes through the Norwich neighborhood in Southwest Roanoke, as seen from Memorial Bridge. | Shot by Dan

To get to the newest stretch of pavement along the Roanoke River Greenway, you have to head out of Victor Thomas Park in the West End neighborhood.

Go up the short hill to Black Dog Salvage, and cross the Roanoke River along Memorial Bridge.
From there hang a left on Wasena Avenue, then another quick left where a sign marks Ghent Park.

At the bottom of that short hill on the left, look for a small strip of gravel guarded by a chain strung between  two posts. On both sides are “No Trespassing” signs marked “City of Roanoke.”

Take a gander beyond those, and you’ll see the asphalt path as it leads underneath Memorial Bridge.

It adds about a mile of pavement to the linear park, probably the most popular in all of the city. The new path ends near Bridge Street in the Norwich neighborhood, more or less across the river from Shaffer’s Crossing.

The Norwich stretch was supposed to be open this fall, but there’s been a delay. That has to do with two bridges that will cross the river.

Abutments for both are in place. But the bridges, which were scheduled to arrive in October,  aren’t.

They won’t be for awhile. Read more »

Lyn McLeod | Wikimedia Commons

Greenway bikers need to sound a warning, she writes

Dan,

I read your article about the number of collisions on the greenway and I had some additional suggestions that I hoped you would mention.  A simple call of “on your left” by bicyclists approaching walkers, runners, etc. from behind would be greatly beneficial as the bikers go to pass.

I used to live in the DC area, where there are a lot of “rails to trails” multi-use paths, and almost every biker would call that out when approaching and getting ready to pass on the left.

I was very surprised when I moved back here to find that almost no one does that on the greenway; often the only indication that one is getting passed by an upcoming bicycle is the whoosh of air as they speed by (whether you have earbuds in or not, you are not going to hear them if they don’t say anything in warning). Read more »

1902 | Wikimedia Commons

Cyclists should warn walkers on the greenway, she writes.

Enjoyed your article in the newspaper today about the Greenway and danger of riding bicycles on Greenway.

I very much like the center line and feel it is a must to remind people to stay on their own side.  But your closing remark needs to be in bold, loud and clear letters – “and warn them when approaching from behind.”

From my experience, 90% of bikers just don’t use courtesy to simply say “on your left” … if I’m walking along and using my hands to talk, my hand could easily be over the line and I could be nipped by a biker that I never heard approaching … stranger things have happened. Read more »

Wikimedia Commons

‘Lances’ need to get off the greenway, he writes

Just to say that I loved the article about the greenway!

I hope that all the “want to be Lance Armstrongs” read it. Maybe they should just stay on Interstate 81.

I frequently ride my bike on the greenway but I have learned to slow down and cautiously pass people and let them know I am coming around to the left.

None of this happens when the Lances whiz by you on either side like they were on the Tour de France.  If nothing else the city should definitely paint that yellow line throughout the entire trail and post several signs saying “Stay to the right!”

Thanks again for the great article.

Larry Smith
ROANOKE

The month-old center stripe on the Roanoke River Greenway near Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital | By Liz Belcher, Roanoke Valley Greenways coordinator.

It happened early in the morning, right around dawn on a weekday, as Mac McCorkle was taking a before-work spin on the Roanoke River greenway.

The Roanoke orthodontist was riding his bike, with lights, from Smith Park to Wasena Park on the low-water bridge that connects them. Coming in the opposite direction was another cyclist who wore earbuds and — despite the morning darkness — sunglasses.

Crash! The other guy went down. Fortunately, neither of them was seriously injured.

That was one of a handful of recent greenway bicycle accidents and near accidents that have prompted a relatively new painted center line on a section of the paved path near Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Some more may be coming in other greenway hotspots. Read more »

Bojin | Wikimedia Commons

Roanoker Mac McCorkle, who earlier penned the erudite essay Fear and Lothing on the Greenway about the need for a center line on the Roanoke River Greenway, was involved in a two-bike collision with another cyclist early Thursday morning. Surprisingly, the other guy was wearing shades — and earbuds — despite the morning dusk.

In fact, multiple studies support the counter-intuitive notion that the risk of injury for cyclists is greater on multi-user paths and greenways than it is when cyclists ride in the same direction as traffic on roads. Part of the reason is that bike paths are quite narrow, and they have many different types of users compared to roads. And if those paths cross roads, as many greenways do, the chances of getting hit by a car while riding them is greater, too!

Greenways are about the most wonderful kind of park any city can invest in. But as their popularity and use rises they are increasingly dangerous places for experienced cyclists.

By Mac McCorkle

Well I didn’t think it would happen to me but it did.  This  morning at about 6 a.m. I was riding on the Greenway and it was pretty dark.  I had on a really bright headlight,  headed west, and was crossing the new low water bridge.

As I got to the end of the bridge I saw a cyclist approaching.  I was on the right hugging the curb above the river,  he was on his left and headed directly towards me.  I directed my light towards him and yelled “Look out!” “Heads up!” and other words.  I could not believe he continued on a collision course which resulted in us hitting pretty hard. Read more »

Users of the Roanoke River Greenway Tuesday evening in Smith Park. | By ERIC BRADY | The Roanoke Times

Note from Dan: Mac McCorkle is a local orthodontist and cyclist who has lived in Roanoke since 1952. He raises some good points about the Roanoke River Greenway that move the issue from etiquette into safety.

By Mac McCorkle

Hello Greenway folk.  I have been enjoying the Greenway since its inception and look forward to retiring in Roanoke and staying fit on the Greenway.  I have noted that with time and increased use, the opportunity for collisions is an unfortunate reality.  Last week I came upon three people on the Greenway at about 6:15 am,  one prone on the ground and two attending to him.

Two bicycles were also present.  The bikers were a couple in their 50s that were riding together and as they were overtaking the third person jogging, the jogger saw only one rider and stepped in front  of the other guy, causing him to lock brakes and take a hard crash resulting in a shoulder injury of undetermined extent, eggplant sized and colored bruise on knee and two lacerations/scrapes. He was a hurtin’ dude. Read more »

The Roanoke River Greenway | Shot by Dan, awhile back

Have you strolled along the Roanoke River Greenway near Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital?

Ever walked on the new stretch of asphalt path at Vic Thomas Park in West End?

Biked on the Tinker Creek Greenway?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then you’ve benefited from Gallop 4 The Greenways.

The annual 5k race and minifestival, now in its fifth year, is Saturday. And over the previous four years, it’s raised $110,000 for greenway-related projects, while providing much fun for many people.

Gallop 4 the Greenways was the brainchild of a group of young professionals that was itself an outgrowth of the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce. Read more »