(By Erik Spanberg, Charlotte Business Journal)

A nonprofit dedicated to expanding local trails this week began pushing for Mecklenburg County to triple the number of miles of connected by greenways to 150 by 2030 — a number that would increase by half the pace already funded and planned. 

Greenways for Mecklenburg and supporters, including Sustain Charlotte and Carolina Thread Trail, point to rapid population growth and rising land costs as the basis for jump-starting expansion. County park-and-rec leaders agree, but note that land costs are somewhat less of a concern since 70% of the property used for the existing greenways came through rezoning, often for free or at deeply reduced rates.

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