Hal McKnight, chairman of the Oklahoma City Trails Advisory Committee, says that as more trails are built people are beginning to view them as more than just recreation. “With the warmer weather and high gas prices, we are seeing these trails used for people to get to and from work and running errands and shopping,” McKnight said.
Oklahoma City currently has more than 47 miles of bike and pedestrian trails, and the city’s Trails Master Plan, adopted in 1996, envisions 208 miles of trails, though the remaining mileage has not yet been funded.
Many of those unfunded trails would branch out from the current system through residential areas.
“The intent of the plan was also to get a network of trails that would be accessible within a couple of miles from most all developed urban neighborhoods,” Larry Ogle, assistant director of the city’s Parks Department, said. “Part of the intent of this is to not only have recreation. It does provide an alternate means of transportation.”
McKnight said he expects the pace of trails construction to pick up as more people begin to use them and see how convenient they could be with more trails through residential areas. “What we are already seeing is that the more trail expansion and improvements we have in this city, the more they are used,” McKnight said. “I think it’s catching on very quickly.”
Read more: More using city’s trail system as a way to get around town from NewsOK.com.
