Harris County acquired 21.5 miles of abandoned railroad right-of-way beginning at the Meriwether County line and extending to the Columbus-Muscogee County line from Georgia Southwestern Railroad during 2008. The purpose of this acquisition is to provide county-wide outdoor recreational opportunities including walking, jogging, running, and bicycling. To develop this abandoned rail line into a paved pedestrian walkway, the county has applied for several federal grants. During the previous years, the county has been awarded a $500,000 Transportation Enhancement (TE) Grant, $100,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant (LWCF), and a $200,000 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Grant. These grants and their required cash matches will allow the county to construct a ten-foot wide asphalt walkway along SR 27 from downtown Pine Mountain to the Callaway Country Store. Construction should begin during Spring 2019 and be completed by late Summer 2019. County staff is also attempting to secure more grants to continue the walkway further south.
