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Photos by Patti Stokes/NWO Tree roots growing beneath paved surfaces of the A&Y Greenway present safety issues for walkers, runners and cyclists.

It’s become increasingly challenging for those of us who walk, run and bike on the A&Y Greenway to safely navigate around the cracks and holes in the pavement. Who is responsible for maintaining the Greenway?

The paved surface on the portion between Strawberry Road in Summerfield and Bur-Mil Park is so destroyed with tree roots that a person needs a full-suspension mountain trail bike just to ride on it. Can someone at least grind the bumps down?

Shawna Tillery, planning and project development manager with Greensboro Parks and Recreation, told us in July that the city’s Parks department was working with its Engineering and Inspections, Transportation and Field Operations departments to address needed improvements to the Atlantic and Yadkin Greenway from Strawberry Road to Lake Brandt Road.

“Improvements will address root heave and asphalt condition, widening to design standards, and identifying and removing select trees,” Tillery wrote in an email to the Northwest Observer, noting the A&Y improvements project had been submitted for funding under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) submission process initiated by the City of Greensboro.

We recently circled back to Tillery for an update on the repairs and improvements, and she told us that unfortunately, the project did not score in the top percentages for ARP funding.

The City has received repair quotes with both contracting and materialsonly quotes for repairs and is reviewing options to address the A&Y repairs, Tillery wrote in an email. She added that repairs are impacted by staffing levels, which have not been at 100%.

“Maintenance areas within P&R and Field Operations are reviewing the project scope and timeline, which should be finalized by late fall,” she wrote.

“At this point of the process we are looking at opportunities with internal staff to determine a phased repair process with both the asphalt and tree removal,” she added. “The biggest challenge will be the delivery of materials to the area but our parks operation division has begun to explore access opportunities to make a viable repair plan.”

FALL DANCE FUNDRAISER

Friday, Sept. 16, 6-9 p.m. The Longhouse 260 Christopher Road, Stokesdale TICKETS: $20 Individual / $30 Couple For More Info: Joe Thacker: 336.708.0334 | James Rosa Jr.: 336.457.6225

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