SPARTANBURG — The Saluda Grade Trails Conservancy on June 17 completed its purchase of the 31.5-mile Saluda Grade rail line, paving the way for a multi-use trail running from Inman to Zirconia, N.C.The Saluda Grade rail trail will pass through Campobello and Landrum on the Palmetto State side, and Tryon and Saluda on the Tar Heel side.The $28.5 million acquisition was split between the states. South Carolina contributed $15 million, North Carolina, $12.75 million, and the South Carolina Conservation Bank put in $750,000, ...
SPARTANBURG — The Saluda Grade Trails Conservancy on June 17 completed its purchase of the 31.5-mile Saluda Grade rail line, paving the way for a multi-use trail running from Inman to Zirconia, N.C.
The Saluda Grade rail trail will pass through Campobello and Landrum on the Palmetto State side, and Tryon and Saluda on the Tar Heel side.
The $28.5 million acquisition was split between the states. South Carolina contributed $15 million, North Carolina, $12.75 million, and the South Carolina Conservation Bank put in $750,000, Spartanburg PAL Executive Director Laura Ringo said.
The conservancy, made up of Spartanburg PAL, Upstate Forever and Conserving Carolina, entered into a contract with Norfolk Southern last summer. It had until the end of July to close the deal.
The price tag was originally $31.5 million, but Ringo said because Hurricane Helene had severely damaged a portion of the track on the North Carolina side, Norfolk Southern reduced the purchase price.
“In the next couple of weeks, we’ll put out a request for proposal for engineering and design services, so at least on the South Carolina side we can go ahead and start getting that design,” Ringo said.
Depending on the design, the trail build could cost anywhere from $1.1 million per mile up to $5.5 million for the most expensive trail type.
Ringo said most of the Saluda Grade will be a 12- to 15-foot asphalt trail, with possible exceptions for sections near water or through town centers.
Once the engineers are on board, they’ll host community meetings to help get an idea of what residents want for their section of trail and use that input in the design.
The project won’t be cheap, so the conservancy will build it in phases, prioritizing the sections of the trail that could be funded first, likely through state and federal grants.
“I think a lot of the decisions about phasing will come down to cost estimates (and) to available funding and where that funding can be used,” Ringo said. “I think we will also look at how we get the most bang for the buck.”
Taking ownership of the property was a major first step and Ringo said she’s grateful to the county’s legislative delegation for all their support.
“This project is going to be transformative for the region,” she said. “To hit this milestone means we’re really moving forward and this is definitely happening.”