Jackson Mayor John Horhn issued the following statement.
Join us in celebrating the next phase of the Museum Trail Greenway Downtown Jackson, breaking ground this year. The ceremony will celebrate the generous investments that made this work possible and the shared vision of a more connected and revitalized downtown.
Planning for this project is supported through the Federal Highway Administration’s Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Planning Grant, which aims to repair historic barriers to mobility and opportunity by reconnecting people, neighborhoods, and economic centers through equitable infrastructure investments.
This milestone project will extend Jackson’s trail network directly into the heart of downtown, linking museums, neighborhoods, landmarks, and civic spaces through a vibrant new green corridor. Once complete, the Capitol Green Connector will connect the existing Museum Trail to major destinations including the Old Capitol Museum, Two Mississippi Museums, the historic GM&O Depot, Hal & Mal’s, and future phases planned to connect to the Arts District, then Jackson State University.
“The Museum Trail Downtown Connector represents more than just a new path through our city, it is a symbol of connection. By linking our neighborhoods, cultural institutions, and business districts, this trail will bring people together around revitalizing Downtown Jackson, making it more vibrant, walkable, and economically dynamic. It will strengthen our connection to Jackson State University, opening a new gateway between the campus and the heart of Downtown. This project is a powerful example of our Jackson Rising Strategic Plan which is investing in public spaces that improve quality of life, spark economic growth, and chart a brighter future for our community.” - Mayor John Horhn
“Entergy is proud to support the Museum Trail Downtown Capitol Green Connector, a project that will improve walkability, promote sustainability and drive economic advancement in the heart of our capital city. Through our Environmental Initiatives Fund, we aim to make lasting impacts on the communities we serve by partnering with organizations on projects that will improve quality of life such as this one. With multiple Entergy facilities located near the Museum Trail, we’ve enjoyed watching the development grow and look forward to this next phase”
- Haley Fisackerly, CEO Entergy Mississippi
“I’m excited to attend today’s groundbreaking because of what it represents – a game-changing investment for downtown Jackson, which is included within the Capitol Complex Improvement District. The CCID was created as a joint effort between state and local officials to drive investment into Jackson’s infrastructure, helping pave the way for dynamic projects like the Museum Trail Downtown Connector. The project is collaborative, connective, and strategic: Linking businesses, residents, and visitors to our museums, restaurants, and other offerings will generate revenue, improve the visitor experience, and enhance our city’s urban core. I applaud every partner for their commitment to a stronger Jackson.” – Rebekah Staples – Chair, Capitol Complex Improvement District Project Advisory Committee
“At the Jackson Heart Foundation, our mission is to prevent heart disease by promoting healthier lifestyles and creating opportunities for physical activity. The Museum Trail Capitol Green Connector does exactly that. By making downtown Jackson more walkable and accessible, this project encourages daily exercise and active living for people of all ages. Whether it’s a walk to work, a bike ride with family, or a short stroll during the day, these moments of movement add up to better heart health. The Capitol Green Connector is more than a trail, it’s an investment in the long-term health and vitality of our community.” - Dr. Clay Hays, Jackson Heart Foundation
“The Downtown Connector will help turn Jackson’s Museum Trail into a vibrant green artery that links our neighborhoods, culture, and commerce, making our city healthier, more connected, and more alive. Green trails like this will knit our cultural landmarks and downtown core into a more walkable, bikeable network. The Community Foundation for Mississippi's investment in the trail ensures that Jackson will grow, and grow in ways that are connected, healthy and welcoming to everyone.” - Jane Alexander, President and CEO Community Foundation for Mississippi
“By adapting the former GM&O rail line and linking it to the historic GM&O Depot, this project honors Jackson’s past while opening new opportunities for the future. Preserving this landmark reactivates the rail line to engage residents and visitors with Jackson’s industrial heritage. This is the kind of creative preservation that strengthens downtown’s identity and connects us more deeply to our shared story.” - Katie Blount, Director Mississippi Department of Archives and History
“We’re excited for the Museum Trail to run right alongside Hal & Mal’s. Overlooking the trail, the restaurant will be a natural stop for people walking or biking through downtown, we are excited to see the railroad be repurposed for this use.” - Mary Sanders Cavicchi and Damien Cavicchi Hal and Mals Restaurant
“Thoughtfully designed multi-use trail systems are the most powerful engines of quality of life driven economic development in cities that have invested in them. This phase of the Museum Trail will connect the beloved neighborhood-parks-tourism segments to Jackson's well-preserved downtown complex, the most important commercial asset in Central Mississippi. We cannot wait to watch the inevitable growth that follows, and to see the vision for a vibrant Jackson more fully realized.” - David Pharr, Great City Mississippi Foundation
We are grateful to the Jackson Heart Foundation, serving as the project lead, and to the project sponsors including Entergy Mississippi, the Community Foundation for Mississippi, the Capital City Improvement District, Great City Mississippi Foundation, the City of Jackson, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Mississippi Department of Archives & History (MDAH), the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC), and the Department of Finance & Administration (DFA). Thank you for supporting this transformative investment advancing Jackson’s commitment to pedestrian infrastructure, community health, and economic revitalization in the city’s core.
Parking Information: Guests may park under the Pearl Street Bridge, Amite St, or in the Hal & Mal’s parking lot adjacent to the GM&O Depot.
Please Note: The groundbreaking ceremony is intended for project sponsors, donors, and partners. The general public will be invited to the ribbon cutting once the project is open.
12 comments:
Yippee!
Will cameras be placed throughout the Trail?
The groundbreaking ceremony is intended for project sponsors, donors, and partners. The general public will be invited to the ribbon cutting once the project is open.
Only the special people need attend. Great message John.
This is awesome and is what you see in respectable cities nationwide. Grateful is an understatement! Let’s go Jackson!
Looks to be a massive boon for Hal and Mal's.
This is really exciting and exactly what we need to be doing while Jackson/Downtown Jackson is at an absolute 50+ economic rock bottom. If we can build cycling/walkable arteries throughout our entire city and connect neighborhoods to downtown, 5,10, 15 years from now if we get industry back into downtown, we will be such a competitive city to bring talent and workers here. Commuting to work on a greenway would be incredible.
This is really great for the future of Jackson. NOW, the city has to accept its responsibility and become a safe and functioning municipality
The Museum Trail is really nice. It'll be even better when there's a bridge over Lakeland.
However, it's entirely unclear what they're currently building based on this release. How do they plan to deconflict cars and cyclists/pedestrians on High Street? One of the nicest things about the trail now is the absence of crosswalks.
Two things Jackson needs that basically every other city has: Greenways that people want to live/work/play on, which this is addressing, and waterfront development, which the One Lake Project is trying to accomplish. Both of these things getting executed right are important.
Any word on how they plan to keep this from turning into a crime-filled homeless encampment?
Also, the city is utterly incapable of providing even the most basic services such as road and building maintenance, water/sewer, etc., and they are focusing resources on this?
How about if they get those private industry “partners” to pitch in on paying for the $20 billion in repairs the water system needs. Do we really need another reminder that society in Mississippi was far better and safer (for everyone, blacks included) before the 1960s?
Also, imagine if Trump and the GOO had spent that $34 billion in Jackson instead of giving it to Israel to bomb pediatric hospitals and daycares in Gaza!?
ATV racetrack after sunset.
Hope they don’t plant grass and shrubs. They will never get maintained!
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