CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Upcoming expansions to the Clarksville Greenway promise to make the city more pedestrian friendly, with the Red River Trail almost finished.

Together, Clarksville’s main Greenway sections, including the downtown Riverwalk, make up 7.5 miles of trail for walking, running and cycling, and a connection between them will make the Greenway an uninterrupted 9 miles long.

A map of Clarksville’s Greenway, which includes the bridge over the Red River.

In recent years, the City of Clarksville has received a number of grants to improve and extend the Greenway.

Red River Trail open

The Red River Trail was recently completed, adding a 1.5-mile connection to the Greenway.

The trail runs from Providence Boulevard to a point at the bank of the Red River north of Robb Avenue. It includes a new trailhead parking lot off of Kraft Street, and it will eventually feature Blueway access for canoes, kayaks and paddleboards.

Construction of the trail itself is complete, and the trailhead and parking lot will soon open to the public.

A Map of the Red River Trail

Pedestrian bridge to connect Riverwalk to Greenway

The most notable upcoming improvement is a pedestrian bridge connecting the northern and southern segments of the Red River Trail.

In August 2019, the city received a $1.82 million Transportation Alternatives Project grant from TDOT for construction of the bridge. The bridge will follow the path of a railroad bridge that used to span the Red River. While the bridge is gone, its pillars remain on either side.

The end of the Clarksville Greenway along the Red River’s northern bank. The site will eventually be home to a pedestrian bridge, making the Riverwalk part of the Greenway. (Casey Williams)
The end of the Clarksville Greenway along the Red River’s northern bank. The site will eventually be home to a pedestrian bridge, making the Riverwalk part of the Greenway. (Casey Williams)
The end of the Clarksville Greenway, looking south, as of January 2021. (Casey Williams)
The Red River as viewed from the Clarksville Greenway, northern bank, in December 2020. (Casey Williams)
The end of the Clarksville Greenway, looking south at the Red River’s bank. The site will eventually be home to a pedestrian bridge adding the Riverwalk to the Greenway. (Casey Williams)
The end of the Clarksville Greenway, looking south at the Red River’s bank. The site will eventually be home to a pedestrian bridge adding the Riverwalk to the Greenway. (Casey Williams)

According to Parks and Recreation spokesman Ryan Sample, the bridge is in the design stage and is projected to open in 2022.

APSU campus gains Greenway access

In February last year, the Austin Peay State University Foundation was awarded nearly $400,000 by the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation to connect APSU’s campus to the Greenway.

The path of the Greenway through the Austin Peay State University campus. (APSU)

According to APSU spokesman Bill Persinger, the university has completed construction on its portion. The new path winds uphill from Kraft Street’s bridge to the campus.

The end of the Riverwalk going into the Red River Trail, below the Second Street bridge. (Casey Williams)
Crews work on a pedestrian walkway connecting Clarksville’s Greenway to Austin Peay State University in January 2021. (Casey Williams)
Crews work on a pedestrian walkway connecting Clarksville’s Greenway to Austin Peay State University in January 2021. (Casey Williams)
Austin Peay State University’s Greenway, which will connect to the Clarksville Greenway’s Kraft Street Spur (Casey Williams)
Austin Peay State University’s Greenway, which will connect to the Clarksville Greenway’s Kraft Street Spur (Casey Williams)
Austin Peay State University’s Greenway, which will connect to the Clarksville Greenway’s Kraft Street Spur (Casey Williams)

The city’s portion of the expansion, referred to as the Kraft Street Spur, is scheduled for a soft opening in the coming weeks, and a larger grand opening in the spring, according to Sample.