The West Ashley Greenway is a rail trail in Charleston, South Carolina. It stretches across the West Ashley neighborhood from Main Road in the west to Folly Road in the east. It is a straight and mostly paved path utilized for walking, jogging, roller skating, and off-street cycling. The distance of the main trail currently covers 8.8 miles (14.2 km).[1] It is a contributing segment of the East Coast Greenway. In 2019, the U.S. Department of Transportation gave the city of Charleston a $18 million grant to build a pedestrian bridge across the Ashley River connecting West Ashley to downtown Charleston.[2] The planned pedestrian bridge may eventually connect with the Lowcountry Lowline.[3]

West Ashley Greenway
Length8.8 mi (14.2 km)
LocationCharleston, South Carolina, United States
TrailheadsMain Road
Folly Road
UseCycling, walking, hiking, jogging, skating
DifficultyEasy
SeasonYear round

The former railway, chartered in 1853, was the Croghans Branch of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.[4] It was abandoned by Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1981 and over time, the City of Charleston entered into leasing agreements with utility companies that took over the right-of-way to allow for public access. The last section of the trail was completed in 2007.

References

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  1. ^ West Ashley Greenway Plan (Charleston City Government)
  2. ^ Smith, Katie (November 6, 2019). "$18 million grant for Ashley River pedestrian bridge". CHStoday. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  3. ^ "The history of the West Ashley Greenway". CHStoday. May 25, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  4. ^ The Croghans Branch; Johns Island to Albermarle Point, South Carolina (Abandoned Rails.us)
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32°47′13″N 80°01′45″W / 32.78694°N 80.02917°W / 32.78694; -80.02917