Jackson will soon have another segment of multi-use trail complete, giving walkers and runners another place to get in a workout.
Construction is almost finished on the LeFleur East Trail, which is located along Eastover Drive between the I-55 East Frontage Road and Ridgewood Road.
Hemphill Construction Co. is finalizing work on the asphalt the trail that was funded by a 2019 legislative appropriation. The cost is about $213,000.
Dr. Clay Hayes Jr., a Jackson cardiologist who is chair of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership trail division, said the chamber worked with officials in state government to add that segment to Jackson’s multi-purpose trails. “We’ve been working on that for years,” he said.
The LeFleur East Trail will be especially handy for guests at the nearby Residence Inn by Marriott and residents of The District Lofts to use as well as employees at the Mississippi Research & Develop-ment Center and nearby residents.
“We need to have places that are safe for people to go walking,” Hayes said.
Another step in further developing multi-purpose trails throughout Jackson will be connecting them.
To be determined is the route that will be used to connect that segment of the LeFleur East Trail to Lakeland Drive.
“Lakeland Drive always has a sidewalk. Do we run a trail down Ridgewood Road to Lakeland? Or do we come in behind Smith-Wills Stadium and get on property near the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks Department and connect with Jamie Fowler Boyll Park?” he said, asking questions whose answers have not been decided.
At Jamie Fowler Boyll Park, a half-mile walking trail is in the works, thanks to Robert Graham, the supervisor who represents District One.
Each supervisor was allocated $500,000 to upgrade parks from the $22 million Hinds County has received from the American Rescue Plan.
The city of Jackson must approve the plans, and an agreement between the city and county must be signed before work can take place. Bids would need to be taken for the playground equipment and fitness structures.
Ison Harris, parks and recreation director for the city of Jackson, and Debra Gibbs, who represents District 72-Hinds and Madison counties in the Legislature, are providing input, Graham said.
“Ison Harris has some money received through a grant, and Debra Gibbs has an allotment for parks she received from the Legislature,” he said.
Hinds County will pay for materials for the half-mile walking trail at Jamie Fowler Boyll Park and the city of Jackson will provide labor to install it. “We’ve marked it off and we’re waiting for the city of Jackson’s approval,” he said.
Hays is among leaders who pushed for the development of the Museum Trail, Jackson’s first paved scenic pathway, which was 10 years in the making. The trail opened in the fall of 2020.
The 2.5-mile trail follows the abandoned GM&O Railroad from downtown Jackson through greater Belhaven and along the eastern border of LeFleur’s Bluff State Park. The rail-trail portion of the trail extends from Laurel Street to the entrance of the Mississippi’s Farmers Market on Jefferson Street.
The trail provides access to four museums and three parks: the Mississippi History Museum, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Mississippi Children’s Museum, Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Belhaven Heights Park, Laurel Street Park and LeFleur’s Bluff State Park.
The Museum Trail was made possible through federal grants from the Federal Highway Administration appropriated by the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District, with grant dollars matched by contributions from the private sector. Organizations such as the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership and the Jackson Heart Foundation, along with numerous individuals and volunteers, contributed time and energy over the 10-plus year effort to reach the groundbreaking.
Neel-Schaffer served as the city’s engineering consultant and Hemphill Construction was the general contractor.
Plans are taking shape that would connect the two sections of the Museum Trail, Hays said.
“We want to connect them under the waterworks curve by the water treatment plant. That way we won’t have to use Myrtle Street (to get from one section to the other) long term.”
The area where the two segments of the Museum Trail would join has been surveyed and a design has been worked out, he said.
“We have to work with the city to get the two segments connected,” he said. “The work would have to be put out for bid.”
The trails are an asset Jackson can be proud of, said Hayes, who uses them for recreation and picks up trash and uses his leaf blower to clean debris from them.
