New bridge connects Roanoke and Salem greenways

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Roanoke and Salem are bridging the gap and connecting their two cities with a new extension of greenways.

City leaders and the Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission stood side-by-side Tuesday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Barnhardt Creek Bridge.

This bridge cost about $800,000 and connects Salem’s Rotary Park with the Roanoke Greenway along Bridge Street.

“So folks can use this more than a recreational amenity, but also a means of getting to and from work, traveling to see friends and neighbors, and going about their daily lives. So that’s what really makes greenways a great alternative funding piece,” Roanoke City’s Parks and Recreation Director Michael Clark said.

A donor plaza, just a short walk from the bridge, honors all those who made the project possible.

The push for connectivity doesn’t stop here. Roanoke plans to move forward with constructing another stretch of greenway this fall.

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