More security, repairing trails among top suggestions for improving Raleigh greenway safety

The City of Raleigh is working to improve safety along the greenway system through updating infrastructure and drawing in more volunteers.

It shows that over a six-month period, most calls to the Raleigh Police Department from the greenway came for incidents including larceny and damage to property. The group suggests focusing on personal and physical safety as a way to deter actual crime from taking place and in an effort to make visitors to the trails have a sense of safety.

The board's suggestions vary but include increasing lighting, repairing the roadways and encouraging more people to step up as volunteers. Prior to COVID, more than 80 people regularly walked the routes, providing directions and giving out information to those using the trails. Those efforts resulted in saving the city more than $1.26 million, the report shows. But since the pandemic, nearly half of the volunteers have left, leaving a gap in personnel patrolling.

Soon, there will be an increase in police presence along the greenway. The city allocated funding to the police department to create a greenway unit. It'll include six sworn officers and a sergeant.

On top of that, there’s nearly a million dollars this year earmarked for the greenway safety initiative and the five-year capital improvement program includes a $38 million investment into the city parks.

The report is expected to be presented to Raleigh City Council on Tuesday.