The city of Greenville has refined its plans for connecting the North Main neighborhood to the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail Orange Line extension.
The Orange Line currently branches off from the Swamp Rabbit Trail Green Line at West Washington Street and continues to Buncombe Road. Greenville County plans to add another 1.5 miles to the trail using an inactive train corridor to connect to Worley Road, near Other Lands.
A feasibility study was conducted in 2025 to examine the potential of extending the Orange Line through the North Main neighborhood to the intersection at Wade Hampton Boulevard and North Church Street.
Greenville City Councilmember John DeWorken said the North Main neighborhood currently lacks a direct connection to the Swamp Rabbit Trail. He said residents typically access the trail by traveling down Main Street to Falls Park or crossing Rutherford Road and Pete Hollis Boulevard to reach the trail near the Amtrak train station.
A preferred route for the North Main Connector was initially identified last fall based on public feedback collected for the feasibility study. However, the city has decided to take a different approach after residents raised concerns about creating a multi-use trail through the neighborhood.
“At the end of the day, I think people love sidewalks and bike lanes, but they just were not enthusiastic to have the trail go in their front yard,” DeWorken said.
Trail connections
The city now proposes extending the Orange Line from Worley Road to Rutherford Road on the northwestern side of the North Main neighborhood. A pedestrian crossing would be added on Rutherford Road to allow for safer access to the neighborhood.
Another trail connection is proposed on the southeastern side of North Main, extending from Mohawk Drive near Community Tap to the Wade Hampton Boulevard and North Church Street intersection. The city also plans to complete pedestrian crossing improvements at the intersection.
Trail users would use existing bike lanes and sidewalks to travel through North Main from Rutherford Road to Mohawk Drive. DeWorken said the city will look into potential sidewalk and bike lane improvements for the neighborhood in the future.
City staff are currently working with the project’s design team to plan the new trail connections to the North Main neighborhood. According to the city, the team will also work with private property owners on easements for the project over the next several months.
