Time is right to extend the Greene River Trail
Many people from Greene County enjoy the Greene River Trail.
Though no figures are available on the number of people who use it, anyone who may go there, particularly when the weather is fine, is sure see people biking, hiking or just strolling with a child or dog at their side.
The 5.1-mile trail was constructed on an abandoned railroad bed along the bank of the Monongahela River. Much of it is a long stretch of peaceful, scenic woodland, opening at sites to sweeping views of the river and tree-covered river valley.
The county began constructing the trail in 1999 and has completed several extensions. The trail now stretches from a trail head at the Greene Cove Yacht Club in Millsboro to the site of the old Crucible Ferry near the Village of Crucible.
The trail also includes a second trail head about three miles south of Millsboro in Rices Landing.
The last extension of the trail was completed in 2007 and took the trail another 1.7 miles from a point near Rices Landing south through the properties of the former Dilworth and Crucible mines to its present terminus.
Since that time, there has been little talk of further extending the trail, until last week.
At a meeting Thursday, the Greene County commissioners took action to acquire additional property to continue the trail farther to the south.
The county had attempted to purchase the land for a number of years but was unable to come to an agreement on a price with the owner. The action taken Thursday was to begin condemnation proceedings to acquire the property.
Though we don’t know the details of the negotiations between the county and the owner and know condemnation has a negative meaning to many, we believe the county is right for at least attempting to move the issue forward.
The property is part of the old railroad bed. It is 7,792.14 feet long and 20 feet wide. According to the county, it is appraised at less than $10,000, hardly an exorbitant sum.
The county earlier acquired about 3,500 feet of the railroad bed property directly south of the existing trail. Once it acquires the additional 7,792 feet, the county will be able to extend the length of the trail by 11,300 feet, or about 2.1 miles.
We believe the trail has been a great asset to the county, which has only one major park, Ryerson Station State Park, now without a lake.
Greene County residents who like to hike or bike often talk about driving the 45 minutes to an hour to Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County or Coopers’ Rock State Forest in Monongalia County, W.Va.
The existing Greene River Trail now gives county residents a place to enjoy the beauty of nature close to home. A longer trail can only make the experience better.