Will Rogers Bike Path

[Pete]

Wanted to put all the info on this project in one place for easy reference.

It starts at the Lake near Meridian
South on Meridian to NW 63rd
East on NW 63rd
Southeast on NW Expressway
South on Portland
East on NW 56th
South on Grand (west side of I-44)
West on 39th Expressway frontage road (north side)
Cross 39th at St. Clair (existing light near proposed Winco)
South on St. Clair
East on NW 38th
South on Grand (back along the west side of I-44)
East on NW 16th (cross I-44)
South on Grand on east side of I-44
East on NW 10th (Fairgrounds)
South on N. May (Fairgrounds)
Cross N. May at Reno
South on east side of Reno
Under I-40
Connect with OK River Trail

[riflesforwatie]

Really excited for this. Hope the "potential" trail-head parking at May and the river comes to pass!

[Pete]

I wish it came a bit closer to me (near 50th & Penn) but I can work my way over to Will Rogers Park pretty easily and go from there.

You will soon be able to make a pretty big loop starting at the OK River east of downtown, west to Meridian where you can pick up the MAPS 3 West River Trail that takes you to Lake Overholser, take the connecting trail to Lake Hefner, loop around the lake and then pick up this trail at Meridian and head back down to the river.

That would be a fun approx 50 mile adventure.

[corwin1968]

Is this 100% MUP or is some of it a line painted along the gutter?

[Pete]

Is this 100% MUP or is some of it a line painted along the gutter?

The detailed schematics above do a good job of explaining what all sections of this will look like.

Broadly, it's all dedicated bike path separated from the roadway.

[CCOKC]

This is 3 blocks east of my house at N 44th street. I have already been using the path in our neighborhood even though it is not quite done. Not sure what the progress is on other sections.

[Pete]

The plan just says to be complete in 2017.

I've seen work on various parts of it.

Perhaps I'll try and ride it in the near future and take some photos of the progress.


I was an avid cyclist in California -- rode thousands of miles a year -- but haven't been on my bike since moving back to OKC. My main concern is that motorists are not used to cyclists, most don't understand the concept of a bike having the same right to the road as a car, and some are out-right hostile to bike riders.

I look forward to this trail because I can work my way over to it from my house then have access to long distances of relatively protected paths.

[LocoAko]

This is 3 blocks east of my house at N 44th street. I have already been using the path in our neighborhood even though it is not quite done. Not sure what the progress is on other sections.

Oooh, good to know. I want to go on a ride to check it out, but wasn't sure if I'd get in trouble for being there.

[zefferoni]

Sweet, I live 2 blocks north of Linwood Elementary and always wanted an easy bike path to both the river trail and Will Rogers Park.

[shawnw]

I work near will rogers park and drive by the construction daily. Seems like they're moving pretty quickly.

[ljbab728]

There has been some work going on for several weeks on the south side of 63rd just east of Meridian. It's difficult to tell for sure if it has any connection to this project.

[Pete]

There has been some work going on for several weeks on the south side of 63rd just east of Meridian. It's difficult to tell for sure if it has any connection to this project.

Yes, that is definitely related to this path as I saw it just a few days ago.

Basically putting in a dedicated off-road path on the south side of 63rd.

[ljbab728]

Yes, that is definitely related to this path as I saw it just a few days ago.

Basically putting in a dedicated off-road path on the south side of 63rd.

The only thing that is obvious, at this point, is the replacement of the in-cuts off of 63rd.

[OKCisOK4me]

Glad to know they're building this. Especially since it's more of a direct route to the river trails without traveling all the way around by Overholser!

[LocoAko]

Connection to the River Trail:



https://twitter.com/orangeurbansf/st...31148775030784

[Pete]

Today I noticed the path along the east side of Portland is almost complete.

[OKCisOK4me]

Connection to the River Trail:



https://twitter.com/orangeurbansf/st...31148775030784

That is part of the Oklahoma River Extension, which runs up to Overholser.

[LocoAko]

That is part of the Oklahoma River Extension, which runs up to Overholser.

D'oh! You're right. I read it too quickly. I've taken that trail plenty of times so I'm not sure why I didn't recognize it. Glad to see that connection, though, since navigating that parking lot was always a bit awkward.

[OKCisOK4me]

D'oh! You're right. I read it too quickly. I've taken that trail plenty of times so I'm not sure why I didn't recognize it. Glad to see that connection, though, since navigating that parking lot was always a bit awkward.

I have yet to ride it. It's been a few years.

[riflesforwatie]

D'oh! You're right. I read it too quickly. I've taken that trail plenty of times so I'm not sure why I didn't recognize it. Glad to see that connection, though, since navigating that parking lot was always a bit awkward.

Glad to see it done, too. That connection has been messy for a while, and it's gone through several iterations of dirt/mud, gravel, crumbly asphalt, better asphalt, and now finally the permanent concrete.

[ultimatesooner]

riding a road bike anywhere near traffic in OKC is frightening and i like to live on the edge.

I noodle in some snake and beaver infested bodies of water, wade and fish in areas where multiple alligator sightings have happened around texoma, have killed wild hogs with nothing but knife. My job requires me to be on the roads around OKC multiple hours a week. I will never ride a road bike around drivers here. I have a mt bike and stick to the trails @ bluff creek and draper

[Pete]

Yesterday, I rode my bike from near 50 Penn over to Will Rogers Park then followed the path of this trail from there to the south.

1. This photo is looking north from NW 36th and Grand, right by I-44

2. Looking south from NW 36th & Grand. In these two first photos you see new, protected bike lane.

3. Grand just south of Will Rogers Park. Not much happening in this area yet but the road has little traffic. The only major road to cross at this point is NW 23rd and they already have a really nice, fully marked crosswalk there, so it was a wait but a breeze.

4. You stay on Grand until NW 16th. For now, the bridge is closed for complete rebuilding and the addition of dedicated bike lanes.

5. Grand (now on the east side of I-44) takes you under NW 10th. The trail will then take you along the south side of NW 10th and then south on the west side of May. But Grand also takes you to the main gate of the fairgrounds (always closed to car traffic for reasons that continue to mystify me) and you can easily pass through it on your bike then cruise through the heart of the fairgrounds which is way more fun and interesting. Then you can ride over to May and catch the dedicated trail from there.

6. The final obstacle before getting to the river trails is getting across the intersection at Reno & May. They do have well-marked crossings but of course you have to cross both streets to get to the east side of May. For now, there is no sidewalk on May just south of Reno but there is a dedicated path under the I-40 bridge which gets you to the river. For now, there is no connection to the river trails but I just picked up my bike and walked it across someone's yard.

7. Once on the river trail you can head downtown or west to pick up the new MAPS 3 trail that takes you all the way to Lake Overholser and ultimately to Lake Hefner, where you can once again head south (when that trail is finished) and get all the way back to Will Rogers where I started.

As it happened, I wanted to go up Penn at least for a while but the picture below shows you how incredibly bad it is through there for anyone trying to walk, ride, push a stroller or use a wheelchair. It was just as bad on the other side of the street.

8. Here is the path going in on the north side of 39th, where it will lead you to the existing light near the proposed Winco then across to the south.

[dankrutka]

It's exciting to see dedicated bike paths going in (!!!), but it's depressing to see how decades of neglecting pedestrians and cyclists left so much work to be done. Thanks for sharing .

I serve on the Traffic Safety Commission in my city and the city is doing really good work to improve on these issues too, but there's just so many poorly designed areas that it's going to take decades to address just areas in the core.

[LocoAko]

Yesterday, I rode my bike from near 50 Penn over to Will Rogers Park then followed the path of this trail from there to the south.

Thanks for the pictures Pete. Can't wait. That second to last picture is so depressing, though. Really hoping bicycle infrastructure but especially sidewalks are a main priority going forward, which luckily it sounds like is being increasingly recognized/sought after.

Two more pictures from Shane Hampton from along Portland:




https://twitter.com/shanehamp/status/843547387897548800

[CCOKC]

Thanks for the pictures Pete. I know the stretch in my neighborhood is already getting some use (50th to 39th) even if it isn't completely done. I suspected the bridge over 16th was closed to put in lanes for the trail but haven't gotten close enough to see for sure. It kinda sucks right now since this is my alternative route to work and with the Belle Isle bridge being a mess right now as well I have had to go to plan C.