NewTown Macon receives $1 million grant for bike, pedestrian trail linking Pleasant Hill to downtown

NewTown Macon has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Knight Foundation to build a bike and pedestrian trail aimed at connecting the historic Pleasant Hill neighborhood to downtown Macon.

September 13, 2023

Edward Smart,

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — NewTown Macon has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Knight Foundation to build a bike and pedestrian trail aimed at connecting the historic Pleasant Hill neighborhood to downtown Macon.

Construction on the one-mile trail, which will be built along Walnut Street, is expected to begin within six months.

NewTown Macon hopes the trail will act as a catalyst for future pathways connecting communities throughout the city.

“Pleasant Hill is an amazing historically Black neighborhood, and it’s so close, but the infrastructure’s not great,” CEO of NewTown Macon Josh Rogers said. “So it’s not a comfortable, easy, beautiful connection to walk or bike right now, but thanks to this grant it will be.”

Rogers also laid out broader plans for Macon’s connectivity.

“Now we’re looking at how do we make sure that every neighborhood in Macon has connectivity to the river and to each other,” he said. “This new grant from the Knight Foundation is an opportunity to tie in Pleasant Hill to the river and to downtown.”

The project aims to not only enhance infrastructure but also to make the city feel safe and connected, according to Rogers.