The Airport Authority and Wake County have both approved a proposal that will automatically renew the lease on 148 acres of trails each year until 2025 (unless one party gives 45 days notice of non-renewal).
Lake Crabtree County Park, located adjacent to RDU airport, has recently made headlines. The park includes 9 miles of biking and hiking trails, which Wake County previously leased in five-year increments from RDU Airport Authority. The lease expired in December 2013.
A recent study commissioned by the Airport Authority requested that the Urban Land Institute develop a report on how the airport could use 2,000 acres of extra land which it owns but doesn’t currently utilize. This includes 148 acres of trails at Lake Crabtree County Park, and has many citizens worried that they’re going to lose their open space. (However, in an interview with the Independent Weekly, RDU spokesperson Mindy Hamlin explained that the Airport Authority has not yet made any solid plans to develop the area.)
Currently, trails encompass more than 80% of the park, which is used by approximately 1,500 people per week for biking, hiking, jogging, and walking. These trails are managed by the county and the nonprofit organization Triangle Off-Road Cyclists. With more that 1 million people living in Wake County, protecting our open spaces is vital. Stay tuned for any more developments on Crabtree Park!