Coastal Georgia / East Coast Greenway Update

July 16, 2008

Three issues have dominated our efforts in coastal Georgia: creation of a new non-profit for support of trail corridor funding, acquisition, and construction projects - the Coastal Georgia Greenway , Inc. (CGG, Inc.) Last night, July 15th, eight Coastal Georgia Greenway Steering Committee (CGGSC), members, representing four counties, the East Coast Greenway Alliance and the Million Mile Greenway, met to establish the basics for creating the new organization: determining the maximum and minimum number of board members, establishing the need for four standing committees and initial review of similar organization bylaws in preparation for establishing draft CGG, Inc. bylaws. Board members will be nominated by the steering committee for election at our next multi-county meeting that will be held September 8th. A draft business plan/executive summary was presented by Jo Hickson, CGGSC Co-chairperson, for committee review. It will be finalized for use in drafting our slate of board members. It describes the 156-mile proposed route and establishes a four-tiered priority for development of trail sections for completion by 2021. Upon election to the board, new members will attend a retreat at which they will set a one-year and three-year work schedule. The committee agreed to stay on and assist in organizing this board retreat, to be held in October.

Drew Wade, CGGSC Co-Chairman, and Herb Hiller, ECGA Program Consultant for the SE Region, gave the committee an update on the January 14-18, 2009 Savannah-Northeast Florida Workshop on Wheels. A planned bicycle tour in which over 20 Georgia leaders will meet with NE Florida leaders to ride existing trails and learn about how local support fostered their establishment. A description of this tour follows. Jim Langford from the Million Mile Greenway (MMG), spoke to the group about how the MMG can assist our committee in its organizational efforts.

Last week, Terry Landreth of the Coastal Georgia / East Coast Greenway Camden Alliance (and the East Coast Greenway State Committee Chair for Georgia), met with the Camden County Public Service Authority (PSA). Their purpose was to gain PSA approval of the connection into St Marys from the abandoned rail corridor that runs West to East. The PSA board is made up of the three mayors and two county commissioners. They exchanged words like this needs to be "fast tracked" into the PSA's master plan, "perfect timing for this type of project." The Camden Alliance was requested to and turned over the landowners' names to the county attorney so easements could be negotiated immediately. This was one of the most rewarding nights for all the work that has gone into this project, and now the approximate 6-mile corridor will be secured by the PSA for trail development.

January's Savannah-Northeast Florida Workshop on Wheels promises profound beneficial impact for the future of trails in Chatham County and through coastal Georgia. Trails contribute to excellent quality of life, to local transportation, to property values, and to tourism. Trails signify "with it" cities that attract environmentally aware entrepreneurs and the best educated managers. Trail support groups tend to attract leaders while also themselves building leadership. The "better roads" movement a century ago brought motor cars everywhere to America. Trail groups like the Coastal Georgia Greenway and East Coast Greenway Alliance are doing the same for cycling and walking in the transportation mix today. Precisely CGG and ECGA are leading January's Workshop on Wheels. We don't see this as a one-time affair. We see WOW participants as leaders in the ongoing follow-through to get trails on the ground.

Still six months before the WOW, encouragement from early participants has helped generate the business plan that's turning the Coastal Georgia Greenway into a 501(c)(3) corporation. Momentum has quickened for forming the Savannah Bicycle Campaign. In Woodbine, Camden County, the first section of Georgia trail has been designated both by CGG and by ECGA. A water taxi has begun operations between St. Marys and Fernandina Beach. Now the East Coast Greenway Alliance is scheduling one pair of its semi-annual 2009 Trail Council and board meetings in Savannah, either in spring or fall.

These are moves around which to formulate strategic policy. Among us, we want to begin such policy discussions later this summer. During the WOW, we'll very much also learn about the policy and strategy background of trail building in northeast Florida. In our opinion, SNF-WOW represents a milestone for trail building in Georgia and in northeast Florida, with all that that implies, and also for inter-regional eco-tourism.

By Jo Hickson, Terry Landreth, Drew Wade