The city of Tulsa has recently purchased an additional 139 acres of property in the Turkey Mountain area. This property will be leased to River Parks Authority for inclusion in the Turkey Mountain Urban Wildness Area. Several hiking and mountain biking trails have been marked on Turkey Mountain by Boy Scout Troop No. 1, working with Mark LeMieux, of T-Town Bicycles.

Eleven park directory signs have been ordered and should be completed and installed by May. These signs will have a map of River Parks, and will be installed at various locations. They are being sponsored by various corporate donors.

Osage Trail—Design and construction of 4.92 miles of trail from the OSU-Tulsa campus on the south to 56th Street North and Johnstown Ave. on the north.

West Bank Phase II—This 1.74 mile trail will link with the Phase I segment described below which was recently completed. This trail will extend south from 51st Street along the base of Turkey Mountain to the west end of the 71st Street bridge over the Arkansas River. Should be advertised for construction in 2003, and completed in 2004.

Cherry Creek—A 1.18 mile trail from the West Bank trail near 51st and South Elwood Ave to Philpot Park on W. 36th Street near US 75. It will be accessible from Reed Park at 41st and S. Union.

Funding was also approved for the Broken Arrow South Loop Phase II trail along the Creek Turnpike.

The following projects have all been funded and are being designed. Construction should begin soon on some although it will take several years to complete all of them. They total around $5 million of federal and local matching funds and will allow expansion of the system by 15 more miles. This is the largest infusion of funding since the river parks system was started in 1976. See map for locations.

• Mingo Trail along Mingo Creek from 11th Street to 41st Street.
• Mingo Trail from Hwy 169 and 81st St., south and west to Memorial where it will tie into the existing Creek Turnpike Trail.
• River Parks West Bank Trail from the PSO trail south to I-44. Also includes trail from 71st and Elwood to new Turkey Mtn. parking lot. Completed March 2003.
• Broken Arrow South Loop Trail along the new Creek Turnpike extension (partial funding—design only)
• Jenks River Trail from the old Jenks Bridge to Elm Street
• Sand Springs River City Trail from S.H. 97 to 129th W. Ave/Wekiwa Rd.

In addition to the above-described trails, INCOG and the City of Tulsa are continuing to implement a system of on-street bike routes. This year, 18 miles of on-street bike routes are under design and construction should begin in 2003. About 15 miles of additional routes are expected next year.

Thanks Dale for the continued update.