Greensboro Downtown Greenway Final Section Opens May 2026

The final section of Greensboro's 4-mile Downtown Greenway will open on May 16, 2026, completing a 25-year vision by Action Greensboro. The $54 million project, conceived in 2001, predates New York's High Line and has spurred $612 million in economic development. The greenway integrates over 40 public artworks by artists including Radcliffe Bailey and Thomas Sayre, with four cornerstone hubs themed Freedom, Innovation, Motion, and Tradition. Bailey's Ascension, his last piece, honors civil rights sit-ins. The trail, built from former railroad infrastructure, includes bioswales, rain gardens, a daylighted creek, and native plant gardens. Community buy-in grew after the first section opened in 2010, leading to private investment like Deep Roots Market relocating in 2013. Funding came from city bonds, state/federal grants, and private donations. Project manager Dabney Sanders emphasized the vision's consistency and community engagement.