Museum Trail groundbreaking marks start of work on biking and walking trail

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A chance to keep healthy and see the sights in downtown Jackson is on its way to the Capital City.

A ground breaking was held Tuesday for the Museum Trail.

The project is designed to offer a route between the museums downtown and on Highland Drive.

"I'm glad that it's finally going to be coming to fruition," said Mende Malouf Alford.

The Old Capitol Inn owner is excited to see that the Museum Trail will soon be open.

Its start, at the Two Museums, is at her back door.

Malouf Alford was a member of the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce when plans for the walking trail began.

"One of the main reasons that it was started being thought about was the fact that Mississippi is an obesity state, and we don't really have the biking trails and walking trails that we need," said Malouf Alford. "So this would be another addition to allow people to get out and have a fun, clean safe place to walk.

The 2.5 mile multi-purpose trail will start at the downtown museums and go through the Belhaven neighborhood.

The $2.5 million project then ends at the Mississippi Children’s Museum and Natural Science Museum.

"Anything of course in my opinion for downtown is a great addition," added Malouf Alford. "This certainly gets people that are from northeast Jackson they want to walk this direction to come into the downtown area where of course there are restaurants and there's other things to do downtown".

Construction is expected to begin this month.

The Museum Trail is scheduled for completion by the end of October.

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