NewTown Macon wins grant to temporarily extend Ocmulgee Heritage Trail

For two days in September, Macon residents will get a glimpse of what it could look like if the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail expanded from the river, to downtown and surrounding neighborhoods in a comprehensive network of trails safe for biking and walking.

The temporary 1.5-mile loop, set for Sept. 16-17, will be paid for with a $151,900 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation that was recently awarded to NewTown Macon and some Macon-Bibb County departments, the foundation announced Tuesday.

Money for the project, called a "pop-up minimum grid," will be used to buy materials and install temporary bike and pedestrian infrastructure, plants, movable street lamps, trees and other temporary decor, said Josh Rogers, president and chief executive officer of NewTown Macon.

"Our hope is that from experiencing that, people in Macon will say, 'Oh, this really works for us,' or 'This really works here but not here,'" Rogers said. "That way we can have a really good plan for how we adapt the streets going forward. ... So, when it comes time for us to spend big money on a street project, we can get what the people want and will use."

The pop-up minimum grid was one of 4,500 ideas submitted to the foundation late last year in the Knight Cities Challenge, which recently awarded a portion of $5 million to 37 ideas. Ideas sought by the foundation must have aided one of Knight's 26 cities by helping the cities keep talented people, expand economic opportunities and create a culture of civic engagement, according to a news release.

Nearly 150 ideas were submitted from people in Macon, said Beverly Blake, the local Knight Foundation program director. However, the idea Rogers submitted fulfilled features of existing plans for the area.

"I'm very excited about this winner," Blake said, adding that such infrastructure could enhance safety, improve convenience and health for residents. "This project is building upon all of the successes and planning of the past."

"We know we've got a huge problem with pedestrian death rates," Rogers said. "This will give us a chance to see what works."

There were 40 pedestrian deaths in Macon-Bibb County between 2008-2013, according to information from The Telegraph's archives.

Blake said she hopes the project brings people together to share ideas about how to plan for the expansion of the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail in terms of infrastructure as well as private and public funding.

For the project, NewTown and other county departments are teaming up with the Better Block Foundation, a nonprofit that helps communities build environments that promote growth and healthy neighborhoods, and 8 80 Cities, a Canada-based nonprofit that promotes walking and biking in public spaces, according to the organizations websites. The Knight Cities Challenge will reopen for submissions in fall 2016.

For a full list of Knight Cities Challenge winners, visit www.knightcities.org.

To contact writer Laura Corley, call 744-4334 and follow her on Twitter @Lauraecor.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 6:00 AM with the headline "NewTown Macon wins grant to temporarily extend Ocmulgee Heritage Trail ."