Nichols Hills plans to build bike trail

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

Hundreds use the Lake Hefner trail to bike, run and walk and Nichols Hills is hoping to connect to the trail and build one of its own.

Andrew Donley said he was hoping to have a bike trail closer to his home near Nichols Hills.

"Just the workout is great," Donley said. "That'd be pretty good trail for me to work with."

Nichols Hills is planning to pave a path for a bike and or pedestrian trail in the middle of the city.

On the east side, the trail will continue to the Belle Isle neighborhood in Oklahoma City. On the west side, the trail will connect to an existing trail at Lake Hefner.

"It is a logical and wonderful thing for us to want to do and be a part of that connecting process," said Nichols Hills Vice Mayor Peter Hoffman.

Hoffman stressed the plans are in very beginning stages, but hopes the project can be complete within the next few years.

"What we will do is begin to vet different possibilities for the type, style and nature of the bicycle lanes," Hoffman said.

There is a possible $600,000 grant from state's Department of Transportation. The city may be able to use the grant to fund the trail.

The overall goal is for both Oklahoma City and Nichols Hills to continue working together to build a system of trails that will connect all corners of the metro.

A spokesman in the Oklahoma City Planning Department said it wants to work with other cities to expand additional trails in other areas.