Monday, July 21, 2025–10:40 a.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
Plans for a pump track at Ridgeferry have gotten the green light from the Rome City Commission.
The project has been in the works for about a year and a half and is now under contract, according to Julie Smith, Rome Transportation and Trails Planner.
A pump track is built specifically for bicycling and features a circuit of rollers, along with banked turns.
“If you can visualize what a BMX track looks like—kind of a closed circuit,” Smith said. “It’s not necessarily an oval, but it’s basically a skills course for kids who are on bikes without training wheels, called Strider Bikes, to adults. It’s literally called a pump track because it has rollers with modulations and berms. So, you are really using your upper body to glide through without peddling.”
The pump track will be asphalt.
“Which is great because it’s very low maintenance,” Smith added. “There is not one in Northwest Georgia. It will be sandwiched between the current volleyball pit and the big playground. The thought is, if you are a mom who has kids who want to bring their bikes to the park, now you can. They can go ride the pump track, and you can watch your other kids on the playground. So, we are really excited about it.”
Construction is expected to begin in early spring.
“And that’s fine because sometimes the weather here in the fall—remember why Chiaha had to move from Ridgeferry because it gets a little soppy,” Smith said. “They do need good construction weather, so yes, probably early spring with the hopes of being done by May, which is actually really perfect.”
The company under contract—American Ramp Company–is the same one that did the Bob Moore Kick Flip Skate Park at Etowah Park.
The contract for construction is for $372,000, and funding has already been secured with a combination of infrastructure SPLOST funding, private donations and Advent Health’s trail sponsorship.
