Elizabeth Scott has lived in Raleigh with her husband, Bob, for the past 37 years. The Scotts moved to the Anderson Forest neighborhood in 1993 with their son Adderson, now 34, who also lives in Raleigh. Elizabeth is a retired attorney who practiced law in Raleigh for 35 years. As long-term Raleigh residents Elizabeth, Bob, and Adderson are opposed to having Segment 1B of the Big Branch Greenway Connector running through Anderson Forest backyards. Elizabeth addressed the Raleigh City Council on March 17, 2026:
Big Branch Greenway Connector Segment 1B:
A Trail of Fiscal Waste, Broken Promises, and Environmental Damage
At September’s Greenway Committee meeting, City Staff claimed to have no Big Branch Greenway Connector cost estimates, but confidently proclaimed that the Connector Project could be completed within the $4.48M Parks Bond allocation. However, cost estimates, dated a month before that meeting, tell a different story. These estimates showed that the cost of a Segment 1B route through Anderson Forest would alone exceed the entire Parks Bond allocation for this Project. These Bond funds were meant to finance three trail Segments – not just one.
To mask these cost overruns, Staff subsequently announced Stormwater’s pledge to contribute $1.2 million towards streambank stabilization for a Segment1B route through Anderson Forest. However, available estimates projected significant budget overruns even with Stormwater’s hefty financial contribution.
But, here’s the kicker: The City’s most recently produced Connector Project estimate exceeds $8.65 million. That’s nearly double the Parks Bond allocation and almost $3 million over the City’s revised budget with Stormwater’s contribution. And, this latest estimate does not include the City’s litigation costs in acquiring property through numerous condemnation proceedings. That means Connector costs could well exceed $11M.
What’s the driving factor behind the projected cost overruns? Segment 1B – a budget blowing half-mile stretch of greenway that will threaten a Zone 1 riparian buffer, destroy tree canopy, endanger trail users, infringe on private property rights, and violate a long-standing conservation easement.
Forty years ago, the City accepted a Conservation Easement from Anderson Forest developers that specifically prohibits the building of greenway trails in the area now being proposed for Segment 1B. Yet, after reaping the easement’s benefits for decades, the City now wants to break its very terms.
A City should keep its promises!
There are other less costly Segment 1B routes that can be built without threatening riparian buffers, infringing on private property rights, or breaking long-term promises. In order NOT to leave a trail of fiscal waste, environmental damage, and broken promises, City Council should choose a different Segment 1B path.
If you appreciate the kind of reporting we bring to you
|
Please donate $10 or $20, Thanks for supporting |
 |