Reedy Creek Greenway

The Reedy Creek Greenway is an approximately 3.6-mile, multi-use trail around a portion of the 927-acre Reedy Creek Nature Preserve in northeastern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The greenway connects the surrounding community to the preserve’s existing 10-mile trail network, the Historic Rockhouse Ruins, the Dr. James F. Matthews Center for Biodiversity Studies and a variety of recreational facilities.

Benesch assisted Mecklenburg County with the greenway master plan, public engagement, construction documents, permitting, bidding and construction administration. Working closely with the County’s Natural Resources and Park and Recreation staff, the team used GPS field mapping to evaluate multiple alignments and identify a route that minimized impacts to the preserve’s unique plant and animal communities.

The project also required coordination with Mecklenburg County Asset and Facility Management to align part of the proposed greenway and trail access with a new Charlotte water line along Plaza Road Extension. Sharing a common development corridor reduced impacts to the nature preserve while accommodating both projects. Additional project elements included a timber boardwalk within a conservation easement and pedestrian signalization.

The completed greenway expands access to Reedy Creek Nature Preserve while balancing recreation, environmental stewardship and infrastructure improvements.