Residents of Hillsborough are invited to attend a new ribbon cutting event to mark the opening of a new footbridge.

The new footbridge links the Town’s Riverwalk Greenway to the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Friday at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.

The six-foot-wide pedestrian bridge spans 95 feet over the Eno River east of the Town of Hillsborough’s Riverwalk.

The bridge was installed by the Classical American Homes Preservation Trust and the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation.

Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens said in a release that the town is very fortunate to have access to these lands.

“It’s hard to overstate how lucky we are to have these historic Classical American Homes Preservation Trust properties so open and available to anyone in the community who wants to enjoy them.”

Both the bridge and trail pass over and protect Native American village sites along the Eno River.

The $260,000 bridge is part of Ayr Mount’s Master Trail Plan and was built with $100,000 in Recreational Trails Program grant and community donations, according to officials.

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