Dougherty County and Albany State University hold Joint Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Flint River Trail

ALBANY, Ga. – After years of planning, Dougherty County along with Albany State University cut the ribbon on the Flint River Trail, connecting the college campus to downtown.

The project has been in the works for a few years at this point, and District 6 Commissioner, Anthony Jones says this is a big deal for both downtown Albany and the university’s student body.

“Anytime that you can expand, and expand where it’s going to benefit the community and the visitors that come in; our CVB (Convention and Visitor’s Bureau) all these folks here are tied in together. This is a great collaboration for them, great collaboration for the folks who are going to be passing through…” said Commissioner Anthony Jones, District 6, Dougherty County.

In fact, just ask one of ASU’s student body leaders, Himani Patel, who spoke with us about how it will help students who’ve come to Albany State better interact with the city, now that they can easily access downtown.

“It definitely helps them a lot to know what downtown is like and what actually Albany State has to offer. Especially for those students not from Albany, Georgia,” said Himani Patel, President, ASU Student Govt. Association.

And, safety is a critical component of the need for the Flint River Trail…

As it means students won’t have to put themselves at risk, crossing one of the busier streets in downtown Albany in Radium Springs Road.

“There really isn’t a stop light there. So, sometimes it can be very dangerous for our students to walk across there. So, this will give them an opportunity to bypass that, and in a safe way connect the two areas,” said Dr. Terry Lindsay, VP of Student Affairs, ASU.

But, Monday marks a major step forward for ASU students.

“Any time we can save lives and get our students to and from downtown safely, that’s important for the city, that’s important for the families who have their children here in school…” said Commissioner Jones.

“One of our important projects is to connect our students to the community, but also to connect the community to the campus. And, this is a wonderful opportunity to do both,” said Dr. Lindsay.

With the Flint Walking Trail complete, it’s on the the next project to help ASU students access downtown without putting themselves in danger.

The Flint River Trail will also connect to the Sasser Trail, currently being worked on by the City of Albany.

Full press release:

The Dougherty County Board of Commissioners and Albany State University (ASU) partnered on Monday, January 22, 2024, to hold an official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Flint River Trail, ASU to Downtown portion of the Flint River Trail System. The ceremony occurred at 2:30 p.m. at ASU East, Lower Campus, located at 504 College Drive, at the Softball Park at the Hampton Smith Athletic Fields.

“ASU is proud to be a community partner with Dougherty County. This walking trail has multiple benefits, including extending our campus into the community, connecting to Downtown Albany, and providing a scenic environment where people can focus on their health and well-being, said ASU President Dr. Marion Ross Fedrick. “This trail represents our commitment to promote a great quality of life for our community.”

“Dougherty County is thrilled to introduce this new segment of the county trail to our community, offering an exciting pathway for the numerous ASU students. Whether running, walking, or biking, students can now seamlessly connect from the ASU campus to Downtown Albany, fostering a vital link between the campus and the heart of the downtown district,” expressed Lorenzo L. Heard, Chairman of the Dougherty County Board of Commissioners.

The 1.3-mile-long concrete multipurpose trail in the Downtown area of Albany offers beautiful scenery and is perfect for walking, biking, or running. The trail spans between the Broad Avenue bridge and Albany State University’s East Campus.

Designed to follow an existing pathway, the trail starts on the northeast side of the Broad Avenue bridge, travels down the hill, and loops under both the Broad Avenue bridge and the Oglethorpe Boulevard bridge. From there, it heads south for several hundred yards before climbing to the top of the large berm running between the ASU campus and the Flint River.

Albany State University is excited about this opportunity and looks forward to this added connection to the community.

Brian Roche reporting.

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