A new section of the Merrimack River Greenway Trail in Concord has been completed, offering residents a scenic and accessible route along the river’s east bank.

This 0.7-mile, ADA-compliant section, which runs from Gully Hill Road to the southern edge of the sunflower fields, is now open to the public, welcoming walkers, runners, cyclists, people in wheelchairs and kids.

In celebration of this milestone, the city will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday at 5 p.m., marking the completion of the second phase of the larger Merrimack River Greenway Trail project.

Nicholas Holmes, a board member of the Friends of the Merrimack River Greenway Trail, said this section near the fields is important.

“It’s right in the heart of Concord with stunning views of the river and of the State House dome,” said Holmes. “We are very fortunate to have a state capital that has an agricultural land like the sunflower field that is close to the state capitol. So this is a real gem.”

The construction of this latest section was made possible by a $275,000 grant from the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund and a $305,000 contribution from the Friends of the Merrimack River Greenway Trail.

This new addition is part of a larger vision to extend the trail 12.7 miles. Of that, 5.9 miles will follow the riverbank, and 6.8 miles will form a rail trail.

The first phase of the greenway trail a 0.3-mile section in Terrill Park, was completed in 2020.

Holmes said for other sections of the trail, plans are already in motion.

A boardwalk linking Terrill Park to Gully Hill Fields has been designed, although funding is still needed.

Additionally, the city is working with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and transportation company CSX to acquire a 5.2-mile abandoned rail corridor between Horseshoe Pond Lane and the Boscawen town line.

“All these things are timing,” said Holmes. “We are just pushing forward with each of the sections and we’ll knock them out one at a time.”

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com