Leaders say they now have the funds to build the Transylvania County portion of the Ecusta Trail.
According to a news release from Friends of Ecusta Trail, Brevard City Manager Wilson Hooper notified the Ecusta Trail Advisory Board of the news, reporting that federal grants will cover the construction costs for the Transylvania County section of the trail, which also runs through Henderson County.
“It’s an important day, a milestone day,” Wilson said. “The quiet phase is coming to an end. We’re at a stage now where we have a strong degree of confidence that the project is moving forward. I think the momentum around this project is going to pick back up again.”
Laura Rice, the executive director of Friends of Ecusta Trail told 828NewsNow that Brevard received the grant funding in 2023, but was waiting for the cost estimate that comes with completing the 65% design to see how close they were.
“The great news is that costs are currently in line with grant funds in hand, but that is limited to the trail construction and some minor trail amenities,” Rice said.
The City of Brevard said in a social media post that Brevard’s side of the trail has reached the 65% design mark, and construction will likely start in late summer or early fall of 2027, taking approximately 18 to 24 months to complete from that point.
Rice said the design will match the specification that is on the ground in Henderson County, which is 12 feet wide with a three to five-foot shoulder depending on the topography in the area.
“The only large difference that is currently identified is changing from wooden bridge decking like you see on the first 6 miles to concrete bridge decking for the remainder. The concrete is easier to maintain,” she said.
Rice said Friends of Ecusta Trail will be supporting Transylvania County (as well as Henderson County) with additional fundraising and support for trail items as the project proceeds.
“That will be things like parking and trailhead access, restrooms, additional trail features, and volunteer and naming programs to support the operations and maintainece of the trail in both counties,” Rice said.
According to Friends of Ecusta Trail, as of Sept. 30, the total projected construction cost is $26,220,000, with the total projected design cost at $3,786,849.
“This is a very big deal to say we’ve got the money to build the trail,” said Aaron Baker, a Brevard city council member and co-chair of Ecusta Trail Advisory Board, in the release.
For the Henderson County portion, a six-mile stretch from Hendersonville to Horse Shoe has been completed. The last section, from Horse Shoe to Brevard, will be under construction, starting in the spring of 2027. When the entire trail is complete, it will stretch 19.4 miles, connecting Hendersonville to Brevard.