JARED SOARES The Roanoke Times

The Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission hopes to secure federal stimulus funds that would speed completion of the project.

Workers from DCI/Shires make progress on a section of the greenway near Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

JARED SOARES The Roanoke Times

Winning the stimulus grant would require an "aggressive" construction schedule to complete the work, officials say.

Notice to happy users and supporters of the Roanoke River Greenway: cross your fingers and toes.

If awarded, a $19.4 million grant of federal stimulus money could pay to complete the currently unfunded sections of the 25-mile, east-west greenway by early 2012.

Those segments of the pedestrian/bicycle trail total about 10 miles and would require the construction of at least four expensive bridges across the Roanoke River.

As long envisioned, the completed greenway would stretch from Green Hill Park near Salem through Explore Park to the Roanoke County/Franklin County line.

The operative phrase is "if awarded." Communities across the nation are competing for the same pot of stimulus money.

On Sept. 15, the Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the stimulus funds. The source would be a discretionary grant awarded through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery. Applicants for TIGER money must demonstrate that a project "will have a significant impact on the nation, a metropolitan area or a region."

If the money does come through, and if the pattern of recent and historical funding is used for comparison, the grant might reduce by at least 18 years the stitching together of the greenway's missing pieces.

Such an outcome surely would be celebrated by many. Their numbers would likely include residents, regional economic developers, local governments, businesses, advocates for recreation, health, clean air and alternative transportation options, the nonprofit grass-roots group Pathfinders for Greenways and a host of others. And, as stimulus funding intends, the construction project would put people to work.

A "nay" or "yea" should be received from the Department of Transportation by January or February. The grant would require that the work be completed by February 2012.

Liz Belcher, greenway coordinator, said the 2012 deadline would require "a very aggressive schedule."

"That's primarily because of the right-of-way acquisition, but also because of state purchasing regulations and the time required to advertise, interview and hire [contractors] to do the work," Belcher said.

And then there is the Roanoke logperch -- a federally endangered fish in the Roanoke River. The logperch's spawning season prohibits work on many sections of the greenway from March 2 to June 30.

The $19.4 million should provide enough money for engineering, acquisition of right-of-way and construction of about 10 miles of the greenway that have not been built, are not already under construction or not yet funded.

To date, about 6.7 miles of the Roanoke River Greenway's 25-mile total have been completed; 1.5 miles are being built; engineering and right-of-way acquisition are under way for about 2.6 miles; and funding for about 3.8 miles is on hand.

The grant money would pay for the remainder.

Funding already in hand includes $2 million of federal stimulus money allocated this year through a transportation enhancement grant by the Virginia Department of Transportation. Belcher said $1.4 million of the stimulus money granted by VDOT is earmarked for the bridge connection to the Tinker Greenway from the vicinity of the wastewater treatment plant in Southeast Roanoke. And $600,000 is going to Salem to construct the stretch of greenway from Eddy Avenue to Mill Lane in 2010.

The grant application was prepared by the Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is staffed by the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission. Partners included the greenway commission and local governments. Shane Sawyer, a planner for the regional commission, initiated and coordinated the submission.

Beth Doughty is executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership.

The nonprofit economic development organization represents the counties of Alleghany, Botetourt, Franklin and Roanoke; the cities of Roanoke and Salem; and the town of Vinton.

The partnership's strategies include an emphasis on so-called quality-of-life amenities to help attract companies, young professionals and entrepreneurs, and retain businesses.

"The greenways are the single most important outdoor amenity in the region because they are the great equalizer in outdoor venues," Doughty wrote in an e-mail. "From a stroller to a wheelchair and everything in between, the greenways provide access to the outdoors for everyone."

Doughty said many communities around the country already boast more extensive greenway systems, which she said localities tout when promoting their regions.

"Can they be wrong?" Doughty said.

She added that the growing popularity of greenways in the Roanoke Valley "should speak for itself as to the system's importance and value."