Build Multi-Use Trails Along The

Photo: A new section of The Natchez Trace. The Feasibility Study was prepared by Federal Multi-Use Trail that parallels follows a scenic 444-mile route between Nat- Highway Administration (FHWA), which ex- the Natchez Trace Parkway amined the feasibility of constructing multi-use near Ridgeland, , a chez, Mississippi, and Nashville, . suburb of Jackson, Mississippi. It traces the early pathways of the Natchez, trails parallel to the Natchez Trace Parkway Photo by Bob Felker. , and Choctaw Indian tribes, motor road. French and Spanish explorers, and Ameri- Inset photo: Ashley Ragan, can settlers as they traversed the low hills The study recommended that three sections an NPS ranger working at the between the and the valley along the Parkway should have a parallel trail Parkway Information Cabin in because of traffic volumes, accident data, and Ridgeland, tries out a section of the Tennessee. For decades, the Old Trace of the new multi-use trail. was one of the most important roads in the national recreational trends. Those sections Photo by Sandi Kavanaugh. nation, an avenue of exploration, warfare, recommended for multi-use trail segments trade, and settlement. are within or near the Mississippi cities of Tupelo, Jackson, and Natchez. In the early 1930s, work began on a Congres- sionally mandated Parkway, using the labor Natchez, Mississippi section: In the Natchez Mega-Project* Profile: of the Civilian Conservation Corps during area, 9.4 miles of trail have been proposed for Multi-Use Trails Along The the . The Emergency Ap- construction. Initial planning has the Natchez Natchez Trace Parkway propriations Act of June 19, 1934, allocated Section of the multi-use trail beginning at the initial construction funds. Southern terminus of the Parkway at Liberty Estimated cost: $102 million Road in Natchez, and continuing north to the The Natchez Trace Parkway was established Old Trace Exhibit at milepost 8.8. The environ- (three trail segments) under the in May, 1938, mental assessment (EA) has been completed, and the majority of construction was com- and the approximate cost for this section is Percentage of (region’s) FLTP pleted in 2005. In 2013, the Natchez Trace $27.5 million. Annual Allotment Parkway celebrates its 75th Anniversary. for Category II: 2,040% Tupelo section: The Tupelo section of the Multi-Use Trails On The Natchez Trace. multi-use trail is planned to begin at the Black Percentage of NPS FLTP The 106th Congress (1999-2001) directed Belt Overlook at milepost 251.9 and continue Annual Allotment the National Park Service to investigate the north to MS Highway 363 near milepost 271. for Category II: 2,040% feasibility and cost to construct a multi-use trail The cost estimate for this 22-mile section is along the Parkway. In June 2003, a Multi-Use approximately $52.5 million. Environmental Tupelo, MS area: The bicyclists, and contributes significantly to the Multi-Use Trail will ex- Park Service’s goal of connecting people to tend between the Black parks. Belt Overlook and the crossing of MS Hwy. 363 and the Natchez Trace Approximately 10.8 miles of the trail in the Parkway, a distance of Jackson area has been completed and 2.2 miles approximately 22 miles. are in the design phase. Currently, the southern (Blue dots indicate area terminus of the trail ends in a field adjacent to of the Multi-Use Trail, the Parkway which has no appropriate parking but not necessarily the final alignment.) facilities. The most immediate need is for ap- proximately $8 million in funding to construct an additional 2.2 miles of trail leading to the Osburn Stand parking area. This will provide an appropriate pause point for the Trail. Jackson, MS area: A group of NPS- and The remaining section of the trail to be con- community-built Multi- structed in the Jackson area extends from Use Trail segments will Osburn Stand to Pinehaven Drive. The estimate eventually link four sub- urbs (Clinton, Ridgeland, is approximately $14 million for this additional Madison, and Jackson) 4.8 miles of Trail. over an 18-mile length. (Blue dots indicate area At Pinehaven Drive, the City of Clinton is of the Multi-Use Trail, developing a multi-use trail system for their city. but not necessarily the The extension of the Natchez Trace multi-use final alignment.) trail to Pinehaven Drive would also connect the users of the trail to the Clinton Visitor’s Cen- ter. Upon completion of this section, the total trail length of multi-use trail would be nearly 18 Natchez, MS area: Multi- Use Trail segments are miles. planned between the southern terminus of the Approximately 3.1 miles of the multi-use trail Natchez Trace Parkway was constructed by the City of Ridgeland. The and the Old Trace Exhibit amount of automobile traffic on the Parkway Shelter, approximately between mileposts 100 and 105 in the Ridgeland 9.4 miles in length. (Blue dots indicate area of suburb ranges from moderate to heavy, so the the Multi-Use Trail, but multi-use trail was a welcome addition for non- not necessarily the final motorized users of the Natchez Trace Parkway. alignment.) In addition to the community funds supporting * Mega Projects: The NPS the development of multi-use trail segments in transportation system is Clinton and Ridgeland, funding for the remain- supported, in part, by funds der of these projects has come from the Federal from the Federal Lands Lands Transportation Program (FLTP). Transportation Program (FLTP). Currently, the NPS is authorized an annual bud- get of $268 million from the FLTP. These funds are appor- tioned by formula among the seven NPS Regions. Most of these funds are used for “transportation asset management” – that is, to compliance has not yet begun for this section. pay for the work required Tupelo is the county seat of Lee County, and to keep existing assets in the largest city in northeast Mississippi. It is also good condition. There are home to the Natchez Trace Parkway Headquar- some projects, such as a major bridge repair or ship ters. replacement, that require a much larger amount of Jackson section: The multi-use trail passes funding than is available on through three metropolitan areas in the Jack- an annual basis to a son region; Madison, Ridgeland and Jackson, Region. These we call “Mega Projects.” The NPS is and upon completion to Pinehaven Drive pursuing strategies to fund will include a fourth metro area: Clinton. The these projects. trail is heavily used by hikers, runners, and

Last Updated 2016 April