Newton Trails

The sun won't set for another 45 minutes on this enchanting late Spring evening.  The air is warm, not hot, but it still bears a  coolness from the low humidity  -- something we'll miss for months to come.  All in all, it's a perfect time to venture out for an evening stroll along the rail trail near my back door.  Not far from home, I encounter an older couple from Decatur who've biked to Covington for the weekend.  They ask directions to the Hampton Inn, and I suggest a bike-friendly route to their evening's slumber.  I also recommend some dining choices on the Square.  Not long after that, I pass a boy scout troop on the final leg of a hike to Camp Bert Adams.  I assume they're from the area, but they proudly tell me they have journeyed here from Alabama.

Do my musings sound far fetched?  Think again!

Earlier this month, the PATH Foundation announced completion of another section of the South River Trail, a 12-foot-wide concrete path that, when completed, will combine with the Rockdale River Trail to link the Atlanta Belt Line to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers.  Three miles of the South River Trail are already built, connecting to the Arabia Mountain Trail leading to Lithonia.  This newest section, between Bouldercrest Rd and Clifton Church Rd is the start of the BeltLine connection.

Much of the linkage to Alabama is already in place, between the Silver Comet Trail running from Smyrna to the State Line and the Chief Ladiga Trail linking to Anniston, AL.

There is no doubt the path will travel east from the Monastery, the only question is:  by what route?  The City of Conyers and Rockdale County are actively working with PATH on those steps as well.  Phase 1 of the Olde Town Conyers Trail opened earlier this year, and phase 2 is slated for construction in 2012.

A connection through Newton County is far from assured at this time.  But, the blueprints are there.  In 2009, Newton County, the City of Covington, Rockdale County, and the City of Conyers jointly funded a conceptual plan with PATH for linking Olde Town Conyers to Oxford, Covington, and Porterdale.  You can view that plan on our website.

If these dreams sound ambitious, then read up on projects like the Coastal Georgia Greenway and the even more expansive East Coast Greenway.  Once upon a time, the national railroads and the federal highway system sounded equally incomprehensible.  Yet, with so much already built or being built around us, we only have a few small puzzle pieces to supply ourselves in Newton County.  The work starting now along the Yellow River in Porterdale is one such piece.

Let's get 'er done!

In difficult economic times, it's easy to understand why some Newton County residents can't imagine investing in greenway trails for walking and biking.  "Maybe later," they say.  "But, now is not the time."  On one level, I get that.  But, on a deeper level, there is an assumption things will simply get better with time.  And, there is every reason to believe that is no longer a given.

Last week, University of Georgia economists at the Selig Center for Economic Growth issued a dire forecast for Georgia's economic recovery this decade.  According to the report, the Georgia economy will not return to pre-recession employment levels until 2020.  More important than the timeline for recovery is the underlying message of what it will take to achieve it.  For years, Georgia's economic growth outpaced the rest of the nation, fueled by technology, housing, and finance.  But, the tech bust of the early 2000s and the real estate collapse of the late 2000s has meant a drastic and sudden reversal of fortunes in our state.  The message from UGA's economists is that we must rethink growth strategies and recalibrate around a new set of drivers for the Georgia economy of the 21st century.

And now you're probably asking "what does this have to do with walking and biking trails?"

According to Maria Saporta, in her Atlanta Business Chronicle blog, it has everything to do with walking and biking.  She shared her perspective on what the UGA forecast means to Georgians in an article published Monday titled "After decades of growth, Georgia now facing a whole new economic reality."

In Saporta's view, Georgia has been coasting for years on past glories.  And, in this century, we have lost our competitive edge.  Looking at US cities faring best this decade, she sees a common thread for economic vibrancy:  places that appeal to college-educated youth.

"Because they can choose where they want to live," Saporta writes.  "Young people are picking cities and states with great amenities — communities that offer a high quality of life for them — walkable live, work and play neighborhoods with sidewalks, bicycle lanes, parks, transit and a thriving arts and cultural scene."

Maybe those arguing "now is not the time" for building greenway trails and parks are right.  Perhaps, as it turns out, the time to do so was yesterday!  Not only must Georgia compete with other states and Atlanta with other metro areas for growth, but Newton County must go toe-to-toe with the rest of Georgia.  If not this, then what?  What is our strategy for creating a place tourists want to visit and small businesses and growth industries want to call home?

Perhaps yesterday was the time to act, but we are where we are.  And, there's no time like the present.