CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – As Montgomery County digs into its plans to create a Greenway connecting Clarksville to Ashland City, Clarksville is making major headway on its Greenway, including the planned pedestrian bridge over the Red River.

A $4.5 million grant for the bridge project has been awarded to the city by the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The pedestrian bridge will start near where the Austin Peay trail and the city trail meet at the Red River. The bridge will then connect to the southern tip of the existing Greenway just east of Quarry Road.

Map of existing and future Clarksville Greenway trailheads in the downtown Clarksville area. The Taylor Greenway extension is shown in yellow. The old marina area is shown to the left, where the map indicates “new Blueway access.” (City of Clarksville contributed)

The bridge will connect north and south Clarksville like never before, Clarksville Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Letourneau told Clarksville Now. “If this bridge was put in tomorrow, the community would be able to leave the overlook at Valleybrook Park and walk to Tiny Town Road without ever having to get on the roadway.” Letourneau explained you would just transition from the Greenway to the sidewalk that goes down Peachers Mill Road.

This is a process that’s been ongoing for six years, she said. A bid has been awarded for the project, but it is still in the process of being approved. The timetable for the project is to be determined.

An underpass on the Red River trail, shown on Aug. 5, 2024. (Chris Smith)
A map of the Red River Trailhead of the Clarksville Greenway showing the planned pedestrian bridge. (Contributed)
The Red River trail, shown on Aug. 5, 2024. (Chris Smith)
The northern end of the Red River trail, where the path will eventually continue to the pedestrian bridge. shown on Aug. 5, 2024. (Chris Smith)
The view looking north where the pedestrian bridge will be built across the Red River, shown on Aug. 5, 2024. (Chris Smith)

Taylor Greenway

Meanwhile, the Taylor Greenway extension is nearing completion just east of the Red River Trail. While it’s waiting on some minor fixes for completion, it is accessible to the public, with community members already taking advantage of the trail. “It’s already open, and people are using it all the time,” Letourneau said.

The Taylor Greenway extension will also be the future connection to the Frosty Morn area. Letourneau said one question her department will have to figure out: “How do we get across Kraft Street safely.”

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Through a grant from the Community Health Foundation through the Aspire Foundation, the City of Clarksville was able to secure a grant for $482,000 for the project. No city funds will have to be used, according to Letourneau.

“Aspire has been very generous and have been 100% behind the Greenway, just like we are with the county,” Letourneau said. “It helps promote walkability for the community and allowing taxpayers not to have to pay anything.” Letourneau credited former City Council member Mark Holleman for his efforts over many years on expanding the Greenway.

Holleman told Clarksville Now he’s excited for the momentum the Greenway expansion has seen the past couple of years, in the city and county. He also pointed out obesity ranks near the top of cause of death in Montgomery County, so it’s exciting to tackle the issue and get people out of their houses and onto the trails.

Red River marina

A third project mentioned by Letourneau was the old marina being dredged to a depth of 5 feet. This will allow an expansion of the Clarksville Blueway, providing a place for canoes and kayaks to put in.

Letourneau said when the water comes down, it should be fairly shallow, so they don’t want motorized vehicles in the Blueway. Rather, “we want a safe, learning harbor for canoes, kayaks and paddle boats. Any kind of manually powered vessel,” Letourneau said.

The dredging of the old marina will cost $1.1 million, with the city having to pay only $150,000 thanks to a grant through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Comprehensive Plan shows potential future Greenway trails in dotted green lines. The existing Greenway is in solid green lines. (Contributed)

Hilldale Greenway section

Letourneau provided an update on the future Hilldale Greenway extension, which will play a major role in connecting the Clarksville to Montgomery County’s future Greenway.

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Comprehensive Plan indicates a potential Greenway path through the county going roughly north along the Cumberland River to cross the U.S. 41A Bypass near Queens Bluff Way, then crossing Madison Street near Golf Club Lane, then going northwest to the south bank of the Red River.

Letourneau said the city already owns the Greenway path from Ashland City Road to the Bypass, a stretch expected to be around a mile long. They just received the opinion of probable cost for the project and are now looking forward to the next steps.

Once the Hilldale section has been completed, the City of Clarksville will then move on to developing their Greenway past the Bypass to then eventually connect with Montgomery County.

Additional Greenway pieces

Letourneau gave updates on several other Clarksville Parks and Recreation projects:

  • The city is looking to develop a Greenway extension off Ringgold Road, along the river, where a new housing development will be located. This will act as the north connection that would ultimately connect to Fort Campbell.
  • With the help of the Street Department, the sidewalk system on Riverside Drive will be redone with the hope of crossing Riverside Drive and adding sidewalk and Greenway connections to go from Liberty to McGregor Park.
  • Clarksville Greenway’s Crossland Avenue extension opened, adding to the downtown trail.