A new portion of the PATH walking/biking trails weaving through Rockdale County has been completed and offers almost two additional miles of picturesque biking and walking.

With a large contribution from 4A, the developers of Corner Market, the new section starts at the Rockdale Career Academy located at the corner of Flat Shoals and Parker Road and connects to Johnson Park. This segment joins the original Olde Town Conyers portion of the 10-foot wide, 1.7 mile trail that begins at Nancy Guinn Memorial Library and continues over the Parker Road Bridge to RCA.

The new segment will be named by the 4A developers who own a large portion of the property located at the corner of Flat Shoals and Parker Roads. According to marketing coordinator Jackie Benson, 4A is planning an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for November.

"It's amazing how many people are using the trail," Benson said this week. "One of the great things about it is that it connects to Johnson Park and all the activities that are held there."

Plans for the path were set in motion when Corner Market was being developed and an agreement was made between the PATH Foundation and 4A to expand the trail to Johnson Park. According to Conyers Chief Operating Officer David Spann, the 4A developers contributed $350,000 to the $700,000 project. The city's portion was $50,000 and the remainder was funded by the PATH Foundation, a private nonprofit that helps communities build a standardized biking/walking trail throughout metro Atlanta.

Eventually, the trail from the library to Johnson Park will be connected to the join the South River Trail and will have an extension out to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. Construction on the trail spur to the Monastery is slated to be finished at the end of the year. For more information or a map of the trails, visit Pathfoundation.org.