Huntsville Opens Meek Greenway Trail Section
The 1.3-mile paved path connects Sparkman Drive to Alabama A&M University and honors longtime community advocate Opal Meek.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Huntsville held a ribbon cutting Thursday to open the 1.3-mile Meek Greenway, a 12-foot-wide paved path linking Sparkman Drive to Alabama A&M University. The grand opening took place at a raised pedestrian crossing and parking area at Mastin Lake Road.
Why it matters
The greenway is a key piece of the North Huntsville Greenway system, which is being modeled after Atlanta's Beltline. Once complete, it will extend pedestrian and bicycle connectivity across the north side of the city.
The completed section measures 1.3 miles and is 12 feet wide, with construction beginning in 2023. A final 0.35-mile segment remains unbuilt, and its completion date is projected for spring 2027.
The players
Opal Meek
Opal Meek was a longtime Huntsville community advocate and neighborhood association leader whose name the greenway honors.
Alabama A&M University
Alabama A&M University is a public historically black land-grant university in Normal, Alabama, and the greenway's terminal connection point.
The details
The greenway includes a raised pedestrian crossing and parking area at Mastin Lake Road, where the ribbon cutting was held. The path honors Opal Meek, a longtime community advocate and neighborhood association leader.
Timeline
2023: Construction on the 1.3-mile addition began.
Thursday, week of November 5, 2026: Ribbon cutting and grand opening held for the Meek Greenway.
Spring 2027: Construction on the final 0.35-mile connecting segment is scheduled to begin.
Roadmap
The North Huntsville Greenway is being modeled after Atlanta's Beltline, a converted rail corridor that became a major urban trail network. The Meek Greenway is an early segment of that plan, linking neighborhoods to Alabama A&M University.
Residents on the north side of Huntsville now have a paved 12-foot path for walking and biking between Sparkman Drive and Alabama A&M University. The parking area at Mastin Lake Road provides a trailhead for access to the greenway.
The takeaway
The Meek Greenway shows how a phased trail can grow into a connected network, with the final segment to Alabama A&M still ahead. Residents can use the completed section now while watching for the spring 2027 construction start.
What happens next
Construction on the final 0.35-mile segment connecting the greenway to Alabama A&M University is slated to begin in spring 2027, including a new connector road.
Further reading
For other local ribbon cuttings and business debuts, browse Openings & Closings in Huntsville.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Al.
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