Plans for Midwest City Trails in the Works

MIDWEST CITY, Oklahoma -- The great holiday weather got many people out in Midwest City this Memorial Day.

And probably even more will be out in the future, because the city is planning to expand the popular trail system there.

Right now, they're in the planning stages. The city is conducting a feasibility study to map out exactly where residents want the new trails to go.

There's a new vision for the Midwest City community. And the popular trails at Regional Park are the starting point.

"My regular routine is about five miles, five times a week, but I'm just walking today," Midwest City resident Marian Franklin said.

Franklin will be able to stretch out her five mile routine, five times over after an expansion is in place.

"Having a good trail system provides a better quality of life for citizens and makes Midwest City a competitive city with other cities," Midwest City Comprehensive Planner Anais Starr said.

The plan is to lengthen existing trail routes, and build new ones, ultimately connecting Midwest City to Del City, Choctaw, Tinker Air Force base and Oklahoma City.

"Citizens all over the metro area can use the trail system," Starr said. "Not just citizens in Midwest City, but so that citizens can get to things like Tinker, can get to Lake Stanley Draper, can get to downtown Oklahoma City."

Plans for an additional 20 miles of trails in Phase 1 are highlighted with a bold, dark line. Phase 2 and beyond will add at least 15 more miles.

"Being able to provide accessible trails to citizens who don't have cars is one big benefit," Starr said. "The health benefit from people being able to exercise, walk, jog."

For Jill Crowley, it's a nice place to walk the dog.

"I like the back part, it's real shady and I like that there's lots of people out here, so I feel real safe here by myself," Crowley said.

In the future, she says, the longer pathways may be the perfect place to ride her bike.

The feasibility study will be completed by the end of the summer. At that time, Midwest City will work on the route's final touches.

Midwest City is working on securing funding for the trail project. They say construction is still a long ways off.