When is the park open?
The Lindsay Pettus Greenway can be visited in the daytime hours, from dawn to dusk.
Where can I park?
There are two main locations where residents can park to access the Greenway. Visitors can park at the Barr Street Learning Center (610 E. Meeting Street) and the Lancaster High School football stadium visitor lot (459 Colonial Drive). We are tremendously grateful to the Lancaster County School District for collaborating with us and agreeing to a shared parking arrangement.
Who maintains the Greenway?
The general maintenance and operations is primarily under the scope of the City of Lancaster. All Greenway visitors are encouraged to be good stewards by picking up any litter or moving fallen branches that may be on or around the trail pathway.
What is being done to ensure public safety?
Everyone should be playing an active role in ensuring that the Lindsay Pettus Greenway is safe and welcoming to all Lancaster County residents and visitors.
Crosswalks, pedestrian signals, mile markers, and safety education signs are in place along the trail.
In an emergency, it is important to call 911 for medical or law-enforcement response. We have worked closely with the City of Lancaster Police Department for years as we developed the trail facility. We have also worked closely with Fire & EMS to ensure Greenway visitors have access to quick emergency response.
How long is the trail? What is the width and surface type?
The Lindsay Pettus Greenway is currently approximately 2 miles in length, which includes asphalt and boardwalk. Another 0.3 miles can be walked using our natural path by the Nature Pavilion trail access. The width of the path is 10 feet, leaving ample space for people to pass by one another with ease. The pathway’s surface is a combination of asphalt and boardwalk to ensure users of all abilities can enjoy nature.
What activities are not allowed on the trail?
With the exception of motorized wheelchairs, the Greenway will be safely guarded away from motorized transportation. Golf carts, motorbikes, ATVs, and cars are not allowed on the trail.
Will the trail flood?
You betcha! Many parks, trails and greenways are intentionally designed on flood zones. It is a great way to use green space that can’t otherwise be used for residential or commercial development. Knowing this, we have several methods to mitigate the flood waters from significantly impacting the pathway, all of which were approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) before we could begin construction.
Gills Creek is a hardworking creek for the people of Lancaster County. The best thing to do after a flood is to wait a few days until the water recedes before visiting the Greenway again.
Who is the land owner?
The Katawba Valley Land Trust owns most of the property on which the trail and the Greenway facilities lie. Several other parcels of land belong to the City of Lancaster, Springland, and Lancaster Funeral Home. We're grateful to landowners who have given the Lindsay Pettus Greenway, Inc. easements that allow us to construct a public trail on their property.
How is the Greenway being funded?
Funding for Phase 1 was secured through private donations and public funding. Private donations are critical to providing matching funds to attract public dollars. The constructed two-mile section was funded by many generous private donors, small businesses, large corporations, foundations, the City of Lancaster, the Lancaster County Recreation Bond, Capital Project Sales Tax funds, SC DOT Transportation Alternative Project funds, and the State of South Carolina. We continue to fundraise in order to enhance the Greenway's facilities and extend the miles of the trail.
What's next for the Lindsay Pettus Greenway?
We are pursuing additional funding sources to develop the Greenway, extend the mileage of the trail to over 6 miles, and enhance the existing facility for greater connectivity. Now that we've constructed a path under Main Street and created an access point for the Forest Hills neighborhood, our next priority trail projects include:
- Extending towards USC Lancaster via Roddey Drive and
- Extending towards MUSC Lancaster Medical Center near Marion Sims Drive & Woodland Drive.
