Waterways Trail project starting to flow
Aug. 10—Development of Waterways Trail is crucial to connecting a series of trails leading to different points in McAlester.
"Waterways Trail is important to me," said city of McAlester Grant Writer Stephanie Giacomo. It's becoming that central line that will spoke off to a lot of other trails in the city, she said.
Some of those trails are in the planning stages — but having the Waterways Trails project moving forward should be helpful in applying for grants to help with funding for other trails, Giacomo said.
City councilors authorized Mayor John Browne to sign a combined funding agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in the amount of $700,000 to develop the Waterways Trail, meaning the city accepted the grant award and conditions with ODOT for development of the project.
When complete, Waterways Trail is expected to be one of the most popular trails in the city.
"It will accommodate bicycling, skaters, and pedestrians," along with joggers, runners and others, said Giacomo. Waterways Trail will be ADA-accessible as well, she said.
"This is through ODOT's Transportation Alternative program, to promote transportation outside of vehicles," Giacomo said. "There are a lot of people who don't drive, for various reasons. They deserve to have access to safe transportation methods."
Giacomo said the 4,700 feet-long Waterways Trail will provide an alternative way to accessing sites such the J.I. Stipe Center, Rotary Park, Thunderbird Park and the Buffalo Run Disc Golf Course, as well as the McAlester Regional Health Center.
Infrastructure Solutions Group Professional Engineer Robert Vaughan, who is working with the city on the project, lined out the route the trial will take.
Vaughan told how the trail will basically follow the canal from Electric to Monroe Avenue.
"It starts at Electric Avenue on the east side of the canal," he said. "It will follow the canal to Pierce and then to Polk." Plans call for the projected Waterways Trail to eventually go through Rotary Park to Monroe Avenue.
"It's a 10-feet wide trail," Vaughan said, with the majority of the trial to be constructed from asphalt. "In Rotary Park, it will use the existing sidewalk there," he said.
Vaughan described the projected Waterways Trail as the backbone of a lot of things in the area.
"There are a lot of pedestrians who will use this to travel," he said. Vaughan also said it's a public safety issue, giving those using the trail another way to access sites in the area.
Vaughan said the project dates back to 2017, when the then-city council agreed to pay for the city's portion of the project. He said the agreement calls for ODOT to pay for the trail's construction.
Giacomo also said the original $700,000 ODOT grant goes back to 2017, before she came on board with the city. She said the city's part to pay on the project is $175,000, a portion of which has already been paid.
Because ODOT has changed its forms, the city council updated the agreement in July. Giacomo said funds for the project originated at the federal level, which requires more of a process.
Hopes are to soon have the project ready to go out for bid.
"They're finishing up paperwork on some of the easement acquisitions," said Giacomo.
Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.
