Project Details
Affected Area:	Phase 1: 14th Street Bridge to Columbus State University (CSU) Phase 2: CSU to Cooper Creek Park Phase 3: Cooper Creek Park to Psalmond Road
Funding:	$11 million from 1999 SPLOST $1.5 million from GA DOT & Federal Stimulus $12.5 million total funds
Start Date:	May 13, 2009
Projected Completion Date:	Fall 2011

The newly named Columbus Fall Line Trace, part of the City's Rails-to-Trails project, is being constructed on an abandoned railroad route. The Trail will begin at the 14th Street Pedestrian Bridge and end at Psalmond Road. The land was purchased by the Columbus Consolidated Government from Norfolk Southern Railroad. When completed, the project will provide a 12-foot wide asphalt trail that will include two park and ride/rest areas (one near Hannan Magnet Academy and one across from Legacy Chevrolet). The project also involves improvements to several bridges, including the railroad bridge that crosses over I-185; and various hardscape and landscape improvements, such as benches, trash receptacles, and signage. Residents will be able to access the trail at parks, numerous road crossings, and trail spur connectors.

The Warm Springs Biking/Pedestrian Trail will provide alternate transportation connectivity to the urban core of Columbus. It traverses various diverse neighborhoods which will offer enhanced opportunities for residents to opt for more environmentally friendly transit options than personal vehicles. It is believed that the trail will provide an impetus for redevelopment or revitalization of properties near the corridor and will hopefully be a catalyst for smart growth opportunities.

The Columbus Fall Line Trace has recently received an Honor Award for Engineering Excellence presented by the Georgia Engineering Alliance. The award application was submitted by W.K. Dickson & Co., Inc. at the 2011 Georgia Engineers Week Awards Gala held in Atlanta, Ga on February 26, 2011. Honor Awards are given to extraordinary engineering projects for their contribution to our society, originality and complexity among other criteria. 

Download Columbus Fall Line Trace Brochure: »

Trail Rules Approved by City Council on Dec. 15, 2009

Note:The Columbus Consolidated Government wants to remind the residents of Columbus and surrounding areas that the Columbus Fall Line Trace is still under construction; therefore, is not open to the public. The City does not encourage Citizens to use the trail since there are improvements still to be made at different intersections, as well as landscape and hardscape improvements. Bicycle police patrol units are not yet patrolling the area and emergency vehicles do not have access to the trail until it is completed. The City will not be responsible for any damages and/or incidents occurred at this point up to when the trail is officially open

Pedestrian Crossing Improvements

The Rails-to-Trails Project requires that all pedestrians, skaters and bicyclists stop before crossing any public street. There are five trail crossings in need of intermediate measures to alert motorists that pedestrians, skaters and bicyclists will be crossing the public street. For these locations (listed below), there will be additional warning signals in the form of lighted crosswalks with flashing yellow LEDs installed in the pavement. These devices are activated by pedestrian push buttons located beneath the rails stop sign. The LEDs will flash a sufficient amount of time to allow pedestrians to cross the street. These are only warning lights used to alert the motorists of a potential pedestrian crossing and do not instruct the motorist to stop.

The five locations for the LED crosswalks are:
• 10th Avenue (plus a median).
• Reese Rd. crossing between Milgen Rd. & Manchester Expy
  (plus a median).
• Warm Springs Rd. Connector crossing between Milgen Rd.
  & Manchester Expy.
• Miller Rd. crossing between Miller Ct. and Bishop Dr.

The following signalized pedestrian crossings will also be installed at the following intersections:

• Hilton Ave. crossing just north of Camille Dr.
• Gentian Boulevard (in front of Columbus State University’s Cunningham Center)

A stop sign and a white stop bar will be installed at every intersection of the trail except those controlled by signal devices. On each street being crossed, there will exists a white crosswalk, Pedestrian Warning signs and Georgia Law, Stop for Pedestrians in Crosswalk signs. The following locations along the trail are controlled by traffic signals with pedestrian signals:

• 14th Street and Broadway
• 14th Street and 1st Avenue
• 14th Street and 2nd Avenue
• 14th Street and 3rd Avenue
• Veterans Parkway and 14th Street
• 14th Street and 5th Avenue
• 14th Street and 6th Avenue
• 10th Avenue and Linwood Boulevard
• 10th Avenue and 17th Street
• 10th Avenue and 18th Street
• Talbotton Road and 12th Avenue
• Gentian Boulevard and Trail Crossing (new signal)
• Manchester Expressway and University Avenue
• Warm Springs Road Connector and Milgen Road

Pictures

View pictures from the Groundbreaking Ceremony »

Maps

These maps show the various areas affected by each phase of the project.

Map	Download
Project Map Map of all development phases
Phase 1 14th Street Bridge to CSU
Phase 2 CSU to Cooper Creek Park
Phase 3 Cooper Creek Park to Psalmond Road