Sewanee’s Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability (OESS) and the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance (MGTA) are excited to announce that the next section of Mountain Goat Trail construction will happen in downtown Sewanee.

MGTA recently received a grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to utilize an alternative paving product made from recycled tires on its trail. Two sections of trail were recently completed in Grundy County using this product, and materials were delivered this week to Sewanee to start on the next section.

The 0.4-mile section of abandoned railbed between downtown and Sherwood Road has been part of the Perimeter Trail for many years. This resurfacing project will bring it up to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act and make it more accessible to users of all abilities.

This section was initially scheduled for construction next year, but extra materials from the TDEC grant made it possible to begin sooner. “We’re excited to use this new porous pavement, which helps reduce the number of tires in Tennessee landfills,” says Patrick Dean, executive director of the MGTA. “Our thanks to TDEC and the Tire Environmental Act Program for choosing the Mountain Goat Trail to be a part of this innovative initiative.”

When complete, the Mountain Goat Trail will span almost 40 miles between Cowan and Palmer. Thirteen miles of the trail have been completed, with another 25 miles currently in design. According to the MGTA, more than 79,000 people per year currently use the trail every year. That number is expected to increase substantially once the project is complete.

Clearing and construction of the new trail section is scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 18 and we hope to have construction complete by Oct. 1.