Dunn Creek Greenway
Snapshot
Location
This trail begins at the Smith Creek Soccer Center, 690 Heritage Lake Road, and runs north to the pedestrian culvert under NC-98 Bypass/Dr. Calvin Jones Highway.
Trail Type
Paved and boardwalk trail
Length
1.0 mile
Parking
Parking is available at the Smith Creek Soccer Center, 690 Heritage Lake Road
Amenities
A playground, picnic shelter and parking are located within the park. Portable restrooms are also available.
Phase 3 & 4 Updates
March 6, 2025
Crowder Construction continues clearing debris within the Phase III alignment and has completed the installation of all erosion and sediment control measures. Preparations are underway for the first stream crossing at the southernmost point of the greenway expansion. This and all other stream crossings will feature a precast concrete boardwalk. Additionally, Crowder is preparing for the upcoming waterline relocation and utility work planned over the next few weeks.
January 30, 2025
Since initiating construction activity for Phase 3, Crowder Construction and its subcontractors have installed initial erosion and sediment controls including construction driveways, silt fencing, and temporary stream crossings. Crews have also started clearing and hauling off tress within the project’s limits of disturbance. This work is expected to continue over the next few weeks.
December 16, 2024
Crowder Construction has started construction on Phase 3 of the Dunn Creek Greenway.
Funded by the 2022 Bond Referendum, Phase 3 will add 1.8 miles of greenway to the Dunn Creek network. Starting at the current end of the Dunn Creek Greenway north of Dr. Calvin Jones Highway/NC 98 Bypass, Phase 3 will connect with the existing greenway alignment to Ailey Young Park and the existing greenway network constructed in the Traditions neighborhood.
Scheduled for completion in late spring 2026, Phase 3 will require the greenway to cross over Wait Avenue and three streams. The footbridges that span these streams will be constructed with precast concrete boardwalk systems, known as Permatrak, to reduce slipping conditions when wet and aid long-term maintenance and structural integrity.
Construction activity will intermittently impact traffic along Wait Avenue throughout the project, but Wake Forest will notify the public through normal channels prior to any road and/or lane closures.
Construction on Dunn Creek Greenway Phase 4, also funded with the 2022 Bond Referendum, has not yet begun, but the project must be completed within the same period as Phase 3, which means it too will be completed by late spring 2026.
Dunn Creek Greenway
History
In 2005, area voters approved $500,000 in bond proceeds for trail construction. Wake Forest also received $450,000 for the project from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. A 1 mile segment of greenway trail from the Smith Creek Soccer Center to the NC 98/Dr Calvin Jones Highway was completed in 2012.
Greenway users have the opportunity to experience views of aquatic and wetland life along portions of Smith Creek and Hatters Branch as well as enjoy the shade of dense evergreen and deciduous forests.
Tom Stoddard memorial benches were installed in the spring 2013. Mr. Stoddard was an advocate for the Wake Forest greenways and devoted many hours to keeping the Dunn Creek Greenway looking it's best even when it was under construction. After his passing in 2013, Mr. Stoddard's family wanted to honor his memory by placing benches along the Dunn Creek Greenway.
In 2011 the Town was awarded a grant for design, ROW acquisition, and construction for Dunn Creek Greenway Phase II - Downtown Connector. This new segment add 0.3 miles to the northern portion of Dunn Creek Greenway. It provides connections to Deacons Ridge, Cardinal Park and easy access to downtown Wake Forest. Construction was completed in September 2017 and this segment is now open for public use.
More recently in 2022, Wake Forest citizens voted on and approved $14.35 million in greenway improvements as part of the 2022 Bond Referendum. This funding will help expand both the Dunn Creek Greenway and Smith Creek Greenway networks. Specifically for Dunn Creek Greenway, the construction of Phase III and Phase IV was awarded to Crowder Construction. The construction for both of these phases are expected to start in early November 2024 with the project expected to be completed by early 2026.
Phase 3
Phase 4
