Hickory – The next segment of the Hickory Trail is slated to open to the public this month.
A ribbon cutting will mark the official grand opening of the Aviation Walk on Tuesday, July 30, at 10 a.m. Members of the Hickory community are invited to attend the ceremony at the new Aviation Walk pedestrian bridge trailhead at 1240 U.S. 321 NW in Hickory.
Funded largely by a $17 million BUILD grant from the United States Department of Transportation, the Aviation Walk creates another critical link between several notable Hickory destinations. As part of the larger Hickory Trail multiuse path system, the Aviation Walk provides bicycling and pedestrian connectivity from Old Lenoir Road and the future OLLE Art Walk, across U.S. 321 via a steel pedestrian bridge, past L.P. Frans Stadium and Winkler Park, up to the Hickory Regional Airport.
“We’re excited to expand the Hickory Trail with the upcoming opening of the Aviation Walk,” said Mayor Hank Guess. “Many people have been wanting to cross the new pedestrian bridge over U.S. 321 and see the structure’s Hickory letters shine with lights at night. The wait is almost over!”
In addition to the multiuse trail, the Aviation Walk project adds a new trailhead off U.S. 321 that includes trail parking, a picnic shelter, bike station, and restrooms. Additional parking for the Aviation Walk will be available in a new lot near the entrance to Hickory Regional Airport (3101 9th Ave Dr NW) and at Winkler Park (2500 Clement Blvd NW).
Designed to improve quality of life and drive economic development, the Hickory Trail will span over 10 miles across the city once all segments are built. The Aviation Walk is the third of five major Hickory Trail segments to be completed, and expansions of this trail segment are already in the works.
Three future extensions of the Aviation Walk will create trail connections to the Appalachian State University Hickory Campus along 17th Street NW, the future Hickory Aviation Museum and Catawba Valley Community College Workforce Innovation Center on 21st Street NW, and further along Ninth Avenue Drive NW to Goat Farm Street.
Visit www.hkytrail.com for more information about the Aviation Walk segment and the entire Hickory Trail, including an interactive map showing parking and restroom facilities, answers to frequently asked questions, trail rules, points of interest, and more.
A new trailhead at 1240 U.S. 321 NW in Hickory provides easy access to the Aviation Walk trail and pedestrian bridge.
