John Gooden has announced progress on the Kingfisher Trails projects, as concrete trails are being poured along Overstreet Avenue, west of 13th Street from the Stonebrook addition, with completion predicted this week, weather permitting.

This will connect the trail to the 13th Street Safe Routes to School sidewalk along 13th Street. Easement for the construction along the south side of Overstreet Avenue was donated by the Mecklenburg family.

MMS Construction and Paving of Kingfisher was awarded the project through a competitive sealed bidding process.

The Trails concrete project from Wal-Mart running north and west to Briscoe Park on 13th was also recently completed. Gooden said matching funds for that portion was achieved through donation of land by the Francis family, consisting of John and Jill Kenney and John and Susan Francis.

A lighted crossing across 13th Street will come through a donation by Ovintiv and interpretative nature signs and traffic signs will come from TSET (Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust). A donation of $4,000 also came from Wal-Mart.

In other news, Gooden announced preliminary plans are underway for the TACO-23 Trails Project, which includes: mileage markers, maps and benches through the Trails; construction of a ramp and stairs down to Bowman Avenue, north of the Kingfisher Upper Elementary; reworking the Trail outside the Pioneer yard on the north edge of town, east of Highway 81 to provide a concrete apron on the slope toward Kingfisher Creek, which will eliminate mowing and tripping hazard on that segment; construction of a new section of concrete trails from the swinging bridge at Kingfisher Park to Bowman Avenue, and making First Street a Share-the-Road Trail north of Broadway with a lighted crossing on Highway 33.

Gooden also reported that a new grant was awarded for the project called the “Library Trail”, which will extend from El Charro restaurant, past McDonald’s restaurant and to the library on the south side of Will Rogers Drive.

The matching funds for this project will hopefully be provided by the City of Kingfisher’s successful application for ODOT funding to provide ADA (American Disabilities Act) lighted crossings at Highway 81 and Will Rogers Drive.

Gooden said it is anticipated that this project will be paired with a new Safe Routes to School project from the library to the existing trail running north and south on 13th Street.

In conjunction with these projects the Kingfisher Tree Board will plant 22 elm, sycamore, maple, chokeberry, Chinese pistache and catalpa trees along the trail, which will provide fall color.

Gooden also noted that baskets are arriving for the new disc golf course set up along Highway 33, west of 81 at Newfield Community Park, with signage funded by TSET. He said play will be able to begin soon on the course.