It’s been 18 years since Greenvillians first came together to provide public comment on a plan to build a trail system throughout Greenville — and beyond. That input led to a 2007 Master Plan proposing a hub-and-spoke model connecting neighborhoods, schools, parks, and major job centers.
We dug through the plan and found the trail we know (and love) today mostly aligns with the Master Plan from nearly two decades ago.
Here’s the status of the five proposed greenways from that document:
Reedy River Greenway
Proposal: The north–south “spine” of the trail was envisioned to link Travelers Rest and Simpsonville to downtown via the CSX Trail, Reedy River Trail, and Downtown Connector.
✅ This has been largely implemented: It encompasses the northern half of the Green Line and the Blue Line. The Swamp Rabbit Trail runs to Travelers Rest, with connections south toward Lake Conestee.
Brushy Creek Greenway
Proposal: A downtown-to-southwest corridor connecting Mills Mill, St. Francis Hospital, and the baseball stadium, with future links to Anderson
❌ Still unbuilt
Richland Greenway
Proposal: To connect downtown to Bob Jones University, Timmons Park, and Paris Mountain with an on-street tie-in
❌ Still unbuilt
Gateway Greenway
Proposal: An east–west route aimed at linking downtown with Roper Mountain Science Center, the Carolina First Center, and ultimately Greer and Spartanburg
❌ Still unbuilt
Greenlink Greenway
Proposal: To follow Laurel Creek and an old rail line, connecting downtown to University Center, Pleasantburg, Verdae, ICAR, and beyond to Mauldin
✅ This has been partially implemented: In 2020, the City of Greenville unveiled the Swamp Rabbit Trail Extension Master Plan + Swamp Rabbit Trail Extension Design Guidelines. This helped guide the Green Line extension. to Verdae + CU-ICAR. The southern half of the Green Line now reaches Verdae, with plans to build a new pedestrian bridge — detailed below.
What’s next?
Here’s what’s coming down the pipeline for trail expansion in the City of Greenville:
Verdae Bridge | Expected fall 2026
Construction on the long‑planned pedestrian bridge begins soon, replacing a busy street crossing, improving safety for the 1,000+ daily Green Line users, and paving the way for future expansion into Mauldin.
Orange Line Extension | Public meeting July 30 + study wrapping 2025
The City of Greenville is also studying routes for a new Swamp Rabbit Trail loop through North Main, which will extend the Orange Line. This spring, 660+ survey responses were collected about the project and the project team collected input at an open house.
They’ll share the proposed routes and hear which ones you like best at a public meeting on Wednesday, July 30 at the GTA Operations & Maintenance Facility on Arcadia Drive.
The route study is expected to wrap up late this year, with engineering beginning in 2026, and construction bidding by late 2026 or early 2027.
Sans Souci Connector | Construction starting early 2026
This ~2.2‑mile shared‑use trail extension will feature e‑bike charging stations.
Neighborhood Spurs
New connectors are in the works to link Nicholtown, Gower, and Verdae directly to the Green Line Extension along Laurens Road, using safer crossings and new pathways where possible.
Cleveland Park Pedestrian Bridge
A new pedestrian bridge will connect the Greenville Zoo parking lot directly to the Richland Way underpass, creating a safer, more direct Green Line route.
