April 21. By Dave Vieser. At their Monday April 20 virtual meeting, the Cornelius Town Board unanimously approved a $2.5 million contract with the J.D. Goodrum Co. for the construction of the McDowell Creek Greenway Phase II.

The contract provides the necessary funds to construct the 1.6 mile greenway in accordance with NCDOT standards from Westmoreland Road to Magnolia Estates Drive and West Catawba Avenue.

Town Parks Director Troy Fitzsimmons said this will actually be an extension of the popular 1.5 mile greenway that runs from Westmoreland Road to Sam Furr Road in Huntersville.

The project was put out to public bid back in October and four bids were publicly opened with Goodrum identified as the lowest responsive bidder.

Funding for the entire cost of the project, which totals $3.9 million, will be provided by a combination of state grant funds (65%) and the remainder from town funds (35%).

The additional work needed for the project, which brings the total project cost to $3.9 million, includes hiring a third-party construction inspection firm, NCDOT project administration reimbursement, design, permitting and wetland mitigation.

Fitzsimmons says that construction should start in May or June and take about 14 months for completion, weather permitting.

Also at Monday’s meeting the commissioners:

—Approved an agreement between the town and Mecklenburg County which spells out maintenance responsibilities for the Antiquity Greenway. In general, the county will be responsible for maintaining the existing greenway, while the town will assume maintenance on any new portion added at a later date. The town will also address any issues raised by neighbors of the greenway.

—Directed Town Manager Andrew Grant to approach the county asking that parking be permitted at county parks in Cornelius. Since parking has been banned, there has been a significant amount of on street parking within adjacent residential streets.