South Tyler Greenbelt

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This two-mile, eight-foot wide concrete trail meanders through the hard woods along a tributary of the Angelina River in Tyler, Texas crossing the stream five separate times. Built in part with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and City of Tyler funds, the project cost nearly $850,000. A middle school, high school, tennis and swim club, city park and commercial shopping centers are connected with the trail which gets heavy daily use from kids going to school and, later in the day, from adults walking under the lights in the cool of the Texas nights.

This project was the first phase of a multiphased trail system which will eventually stretch six miles. The first phase, besides trail pavement, included information kiosks, group picnic pavilions, lighting and bridges up to 85'-0" clear span. Phase II is expected to begin in the fall of 1999 using federal ISTEA funds.

Brannon park planners imagined the trail in the 1970's and then presented the plan to city officials. In 1991, Brannon made the successful applications for matching funds from TP&W and then engineered the project. The trail presented Brannon engineers with special problems like flood plains, highly erodible soils, and handicapped accessibility.