A new — and safer — way for pedestrians to travel is coming to midtown Columbus

Credit: Adobe Stock photo

Work on the first of three phases linking midtown Columbus to the Chattahoochee Riverwalk and the Fall Line Trace on the Dragonfly Trails is expected to begin next year, providing a safer path for pedestrians without navigating busy streets.

The Columbus Consolidated Government partnered with the PATH Foundation and Dragonfly Trails Inc. in 2016 to adopt the 65-mile master plan for the Dragonfly Trails Network.

Dinglewood Park Trail is the first step in creating an east-west connection through midtown, Dragonfly Trails executive director Becca Zajac told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email. It will run through one of Columbus’ most active residential areas, she said, including Lakebottom Park, the Columbus Museum and Columbus High School.

“For years, residents have asked for safer ways to reach these parks, schools and nearby businesses without navigating busy streets,” Zajac said.

The Dinglewood Park Trail is the start to fulfilling this need, she said.

Details about the Dinglewood Park Trail

A 10-foot-wide concrete trail will begin at 10th Avenue and Wynnton Road, where the MLK Jr. Trail ends, and travel east along Wynnton Road, north up Bradley Drive, east on Warren Williams Road and through Dinglewood Park.

This project will cover approximately 4,956 linear feet and include landscape and stormwater improvements and trail amenities.

Pedestrian crossings at Wynnton Road, Bradley Drive, 13th Street and 18th Avenue will be upgraded, Zajac said. This will create a clearer delineation between people and vehicles to create safer crosswalks, she said.

Adding more Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible parking spaces in the Dinglewood Park lot also will be included in the project, Zajac said.

This project is out for bid, with construction companies’ proposals due at the end of the month, she said.

“The City expects to award the contract in early 2026, with construction beginning before spring,” she said. “Barring weather or unforeseen delays, construction should take about 12 months, with the trail opening in 2027.”

The final cost for this project will be determined when the competitive bid process concludes, Zajac said. Currently, Dragonfly Trails, Inc., has invested more than $150,000 to fund the design, engineering and permitting.

Cost and funding for Dinglewood Park Trail

Dragonfly Trails Inc. and CCG have secured a $200,000 Recreational Trails Program grant through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which requires a $200,000 match.

“This upfront investment by Dragonfly Trails Inc. allows the city to move trail projects forward more quickly and ensures they are ‘shovel ready’ when public funding becomes available,” Zajac said. “This public-private partnership model is one reason Columbus has been able to expand its trail system at such a rapid pace.”

The Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax and the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax are two sources of funding CCG uses to fund the construction of trails, she said.

The other two phases of this project are in design, Zajac said, and will extend the Midtown Connector across Lakebottom Park and along Cherokee Avenue to the Fall Line Trace. When completed, it will be a “major spine” of the entire Dragonfly Trails Network, she said.

“The Dinglewood Park Trail fills one of midtown’s most significant safety and connectivity gaps, giving residents a protected way to reach parks, schools, restaurants and other destinations,” Zajac said. “Trails are essential infrastructure — they improve health, expand transportation options, strengthen neighborhoods, and support local businesses. The Midtown Connector will bring the same kind of community and economic benefits the Riverwalk has delivered for uptown, now extended into midtown.”

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.