I agree that there is a ton of traffic noise from the Interstate for most of it and many, many places where you have to cross traffic and be on hihg alert.

However, it does serve to make bike travel in that area possible and also closes a big loop between the river, Lake Overholser and Lake Hefner.

I agree. The ride might not be pleasant, but it is at least possible. Before construction of this Trail riding a bike on this route was almost literally impossible.

The ride is 1000% more pleasant than riding in the street.

They have just laid asphalt north from 63rd to NW Expressway. That means (except for some of the curb cuts and finishing landscaping), it is essentially completed from NW 39th to Lake Hefner Park.

Finally rode the trail today and took some pics for anyone who is interested. Besides landscaping, it was complete everywhere except Meridian between NW 63rd and NW Expwy, the crossing from NW Expwy onto Portland, and at NW 23rd (where there's a bunch of construction regardless). I do have to agree that it wasn't exactly a serene ride with the number of busy intersections one has to cross and the industrial nature of the southern half (plus the stray dog I dealt with south of Will Rogers Park, lol), but it definitely fills a major gap and will hopefully be utilized by folks who need it. I was also really glad to see the solar-powered lights between NW 50th and NW 39th. Very nice.

Just east of the Integris complex:
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Just south of NW 50th:
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Will Rogers Park:
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Protected in-road lane south of NW 16th:
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Junction with the Oklahoma River trail:
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Finally rode the trail today and took some pics for anyone who is interested. Besides landscaping, it was complete everywhere except Meridian between NW 63rd and NW Expwy, the crossing from NW Expwy onto Portland, and at NW 23rd (where there's a bunch of construction regardless). I do have to agree that it wasn't exactly a serene ride with the number of busy intersections one has to cross and the industrial nature of the southern half (plus the stray dog I dealt with south of Will Rogers Park, lol), but it definitely fills a major gap and will hopefully be utilized by folks who need it. I was also really glad to see the solar-powered lights between NW 50th and NW 39th. Very nice.

Just east of the Integris complex:
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Just south of NW 50th:
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Will Rogers Park:
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Protected in-road lane south of NW 16th:
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Junction with the Oklahoma River trail:
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What kind of bike do you have? I'm digging it.

Thanks for the photos! I need to get out there and try it again.

I want to ride all the way from Will Rogers to the river then around Overholser up and around Hefner and then back down again.

What kind of bike do you have? I'm digging it.

Thanks! It is a Giant Escape City from a few years ago (2012?). It was recommended to be as a hybrid bike for commuting when I lived in Norman that could handle bumps and grass a bit better than a road bike. In hindsight for these longer rides I wish I had something that was lighter and closer to a road bike, but it has served me well so far. :)

Diggin the solar lights! We need more of those along trails and sidewalks in the city.

I drove down Expressway today and noticed they are putting cable barriers to the north of the bike lanes along Expressway. Now, not all the way along, mind you, but the areas that are closer to the road. I didn't know that was part of it, but I am glad it is.

If I plan on visiting in January and bringing my bike, will this trail take me all the way from Bricktown to the Lake Hefner loop? I'd love to give these new trails a ride since I moved away.

If I plan on visiting in January and bringing my bike, will this trail take me all the way from Bricktown to the Lake Hefner loop? I'd love to give these new trails a ride since I moved away.
Lol. I’m going to do it with a Spokies bike after Christmas.

Lol. I’m going to do it with a Spokies bike after Christmas.

That's going to be expensive.

That's going to be expensive.Hmmm. I’ll have to figure out the exact costs.

If I plan on visiting in January and bringing my bike, will this trail take me all the way from Bricktown to the Lake Hefner loop? I'd love to give these new trails a ride since I moved away.

Yes. You would have to go along the river and then north. By January, you should be good.

Hmmm. I’ll have to figure out the exact costs.

I'm pretty sure it's $3 initial cost plus $3 every thirty minutes unless you check it back in before the half hour ends. I don't think you'll find any Spokies stations out that far, but I haven't looked at their station map in a while.

That's going to be expensive.

also uncomfortable

also uncomfortable

Yeah I have a bad neck and I can't ride the Spokies bikes for more than a few minutes without being in pretty bad pain. They are terrible for ergonomics and posture...meant primarily for riding short distances.

Lol. I’m going to do it with a Spokies bike after Christmas.

Ya might check with BIKE ONE or another local shop on rentals.

Ya might check with BIKE ONE or another local shop on rentals.

Does anyone know if they plan to put pylons at the places where the path intersects a street? I ask for two reasons - one being that other trails have them in places, and the other being that Friday evening I saw a car enter the new path next to Will Rogers Park and drive on it.

This is why we can't have nice things.

Does anyone know if they plan to put pylons at the places where the path intersects a street? I ask for two reasons - one being that other trails have them in places, and the other being that Friday evening I saw a car enter the new path next to Will Rogers Park and drive on it.

This is why we can't have nice things.

I think they're working on rolling them out. There are some new ones between 23rd and the Fairgrounds that weren't there a week or two ago.

Anyone have any ideas when the trail will be opened to the public officially?

Anyone have any ideas when the trail will be opened to the public officially?

I don't know if it's official, but I believe it is now completely finished and open.

I don't know if it's official, but I believe it is now completely finished and open.

Thank you, now Google maps just needs to get caught up to speed.

There will be an official ribbon cutting for this trail at 2 p.m. Friday, March 2nd.

The location will be the southern trailhead at SW 5th & May; the new parking area and link to the River Trail.

I believe the entire route is now finished.

Well.... except I still don't see bollards to prevent small cars from driving on the trails and such.....

Well.... except I still don't see bollards to prevent small cars from driving on the trails and such.....

Bollards are in place in most spots; striping is ready to go down, but it's not down yet (at least near NW 50th & Grand).

I work near Will Rogers Park itself and was driving around it last week and didn't see bollards, but maybe they'll be in by the March ribbon cutting.

I work near Will Rogers Park itself and was driving around it last week and didn't see bollards, but maybe they'll be in by the March ribbon cutting.

They have been out all week working between 16th and Will Rogers Park. I have noticed them putting up some final fence panels that were missing, striping, and installing bollards. The bollards are the last thing to go in after stripes are applied. There has also been a separate contractor out painting new crosswalks at the street crossings.

Cool thanks

Maybe they will be nice bollards so OKC can have some nice things. :)

Official ribbon cutting is tomorrow at 2PM on the south end of the trail. https://www.facebook.com/events/1124378151032283/

Press release from the City:

********


Will Rogers Trail opens in northwest OKC, connecting Lake Hefner to Oklahoma River

Oklahoma City’s first neighborhood trail opened Friday as civic leaders cut the ribbon on MAPS 3’s Will Rogers Trail.

“Building a city that gives residents a safe place to run and ride their bikes is a priority of the City Council, and today gets us 8 miles closer to that goal,” said Mayor Mick Cornett. “I’d like to thank all the businesses and neighborhoods along the trail for their support. The trail will prove to be a source of pride and an invaluable investment in our residents’ health.”

Cornett was joined by Ward 1 Councilman John Greiner, MAPS 3 Citizens Advisory Board Chairman Tom McDaniel and other civic leaders as they opened the trail during a ceremony along May Avenue near SW 5th Street.

The Will Rogers Trail’s north trailhead includes a parking lot at Meridian and Northwest Expressway just south of Lake Hefner. Heading southeast, the protected trail generally follows the Northwest Expressway to the Lake Hefner Parkway. A crosswalk gets pedestrian and cyclists across NW Expressway safely.

The trail follows Interstate 44 south as it wraps around the north side of State Fair Park, then turns south following May Avenue to the south trailhead on the Oklahoma River Trail system.

All but two blocks of the 8.1-mile urban asphalt trail are protected.

The debt-free project finished nearly $2 million under budget with a final cost of $11.6 million. The trail, the second of three MAPS 3 Trails, connects thousands of residents, workers, shoppers and visitors in the neighborhoods, businesses, hotels and more along its route within the growing Oklahoma City trails system.

The ADA-compliant, multi-use trail is designed for two-way traffic.

The project engineers are MKEC Engineering, MacArthur Associated Consultants and Johnson and Associates. Rudy Construction is the contractor.

The 7.5-mile West River Trail was finished in 2015 and was the first of the three MAPS 3 Trails to be completed. Construction begins soon on the 13-mile Lake Draper Trail, the last trail included in the program.


About MAPS 3

MAPS 3 is a $777 million capital improvement program to improve the quality of life in Oklahoma City. It is funded by a 1-cent sales tax initiative that began in April 2010 and ended in December 2017. MAPS 3 funds eight projects: Downtown Convention Center, Downtown Public Park, Modern Streetcar/Transit, Oklahoma River Improvements, Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Improvements, Senior Health and Wellness Centers, Trails and Sidewalks.

I was looking at the Maps wesbite for information on the 13-mile Lake Draper Trail. The website says there is an OKC Master Trail Plan. Can anyone link to a map or wesbite describing this master trail plan? Is the Lake Draper trail going to be linked to the river trails? Thanks!

Although not formally adopted, there is a group that is working on a Bike Master Plan.

As you can see below, there are tons of trails planned that are not currently funded.

To see a hi-res version, right click and open in a new tab.


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bikeplan3.jpg

I gave this a try on Saturday for a short run, fairly nice trail. Started at Will Rogers and went a mile and a half south and then back.

Felt a little weird basically paralleling the interstate though, so I'm not sure I'm going to get a lot of use out of it compared to going up to Hefner or down to the river.

The main value of this trail IMO is two-fold: 1) Allowing people on the NW side to access the river trails and downtown and/or go north to Lake Hefner; and 2) connecting Hefner with the river trails and Overholser to create one big loop for people who want to ride long distances in a relatively protected environment.

As a partially color-blind person It is nearly impossible for me to tell the difference between the routes on that map :lol2:

Still very helpful! Thank you!

A waterstop and little park is being planned for this trail:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/waterstop1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/waterstop3.jpg

Great to hear. I LOVE the river trails and west river trail, but have always been troubled by the lack of drinking fountains along the paths (especially in this heat). Hope similar stations will be set up along the river trails and west trail.

Pete - Can you send me a press release or the announcement of the water stop? I'd like to share among local bike groups.

Pete - Can you send me a press release or the announcement of the water stop? I'd like to share among local bike groups.

It's out on Twitter and Instagram under OKCTalk, complete with a quote from the parks & rec director.

Feel free to share or share this post:

http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=43086&page=4&p=1033496#post1033496

I hate to be the type of person to complain about stuff like this, but I just noticed tonight how overgrown the grass around the trail is. All the way from Meridian to the stretch along NW Expwy (which is all I saw) had weeds that were multiple feet high. Anyone know how often the city mows these areas?

This is concerning the West River Trails (couldn't find where to post), but it appears the section just south of 10th street is closed and will be for up to a few months, judging from some comments I've read on a local cycling Facebook page. Some major sewer/sinkhole damage is in need of repair and it could be an extensive project. Here is a KFOR story on the damaged area that is being closed - https://kfor.com/2018/07/23/hole-on-metro-bike-path-has-cyclists-concerned-for-safety/

Major bummer as this is by far one of the most popular (and safest) cycling routes in the city.

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The blue line shows the closed area of the trail.
The red circle shows the portion of the trail where pipe is being replaced.
The blue circle shows the Reno Ave. parking lot with trail access.

https://twitter.com/cityofokc/status/1027942061658517505

The church on the SWC of 50th/I-44 has put up a gazebo and bike rack for "friends on the trail". Not sure if that porta potty was intended for those friends or if it's due to construction in the area.

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From Facebook, 56/Grand rest stop:

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OKC Council considers spending thousands on public art

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record January 28, 2019

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Council is expected to approve multi-piece art installation along the Oklahoma River for a cost of $70,000 Tuesday.

Council members will also be asked for $53,000 for other commissions and acquisitions of public art. The projects are part of a commitment city leaders made to beautification nearly 10 years ago, which has produced dozens of art installations in public spaces. Those pieces, primarily sculptures, can be found at sites such as the zoo, Will Rogers World Airport, the Bricktown Canal and numerous parks.

The largest item to be considered on the council’s agenda, Glacial Erratics, will be put on permanent display near 6901 SW 15th St., along the MAPS 3 West River Trail. Artist Klint Schor said the work – which looks like several large boulders among the park’s small trees – is intended to convey the passage of nature and the change it leaves in its wake.

“They are of, and apart from, nature,” Schor said. “I didn’t really want to create anything incongruous in that space. I see the composition in terms of quiet sculpture, more in line with a musical composition by Erik Satie, a minimalist vein where each note has plenty of time to linger and be heard on its own. With the boulders, the hope is that we haven’t finished the composition … each can be appreciated by itself, leading to the next, and all together.”

Glacial Erratics and other works like it are made possible by the city’s 1 Percent for Art ordinance, which requires 1 percent of the construction budget for public projects be spent on public art. The City Council updated guidelines for the ordinance in 2015, which led to a new master plan, Amp Up OKC, that outlined 13 objectives focused on the creation, presentation and promotion of art with the goal of inspiring and communicating the city’s commitment to the social, economic and cultural well-being of residents.

City Hall’s arts and cultural affairs liaison, Robbie Kienzle, said another ordinance update is planned early this year. In addition to being expensed through the city’s own art fund, works also can be accepted as gifts. Each installation is protected against accidents, vandalism and theft by insurance policy, she said.

“Sometimes we’ll receive a donation and have to wait for the right site to install it,” Kienzle said. “Now we’re finding ourselves in situations where we are being offered long-term loans. … The guidelines are growing more complicated, which is actually pretty exciting because it recognizes that a one-size approach doesn’t fit all.”

Oklahoma City Arts Commission member Elizabeth Eickman served as chairwoman when Schor’s work was approved for council consideration. Eickman said the ordinance has been well-received.

“The city has been doing public art for longer than 10 years, but the ordinance helped establish a steady stream versus periodic projects that would pop up,” she said. “It’s actually been quite positive. When you get into projects that become parts of neighborhoods, you’re met by welcome surprise. It’s a great opportunity to bring together people and provide a sense that they have ownership in it as well.”

Kienzle said Shor’s work and the other items on the City Council’s agenda, if approved, will be installed and ready for public view in six to nine months.