The town received $250,000 from the federal Transportation Appropriations Act. Rep. Brad Miller requested the funds for the Knightdale project.

Parks and Recreation Director Tina Cheek said the plan to build a trail, a boardwalk over wetlands to the Neuse River and pedestrian bridge over it is now on a fast track. The Neuse River Greenway, including the Knightdale portion, is expected to be complete by 2012, Cheek said.

The town has $750,000 funded toward the project in the North Carolina Department of Transportation Improvement Plan. Cheek said while final cost estimates aren't complete, the project will cost more that $1 million. Cheek said the town will also seek a grant from the state's Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and a North Carolina Trails grant for funding.

Neither the N.C. DOT funding or the federal appropriation require matching funds. Cheek said the DOT money will be available next year.

The greenway will span 28 miles along the Neuse from Johnston County to Falls Lake. Knightdale will be able to tie in at Anderson Point Park. The town has a short greenway at Princeton Manor that will tie into the system.

This is phase one of the Mingo Creek Greenway project. Phase two calls for a greenway trail from Hodge Road to downtown Knightdale.

Cheek said the town opted to build the bridge to connect to a vast greenway trail system rather than devote money for trails across town.

"It's more bang for the buck," she said.

Cheek said the cost of the trail and pedestrian bridge would be less than the planned greenway across town from Harper Park to Hodge Road.

Public interest in greenways has increased in recent years, Cheek said, citing a survey that put greenways at a top priority.

"The citizens asked for trails and having this opportunity with the city of Raleigh - everything's just kind of hit at one time," said Cheek.

Money will be set aside for greenways in the town's capital improvement plan, but just how much hasn't been decided yet, Cheek said.