Oxford Area Trails Pedal Forward

BY MAGGIE CALLAGHAN
Miami University journalism student

The Oxford Area Trails committee is continuing efforts with City Council and community members to complete phases two and three of the Oxford Area Trails.

“We will hopefully have a plan figured out by January,” said Jessica Greene, executive director of the Oxford Visitors Bureau.

When Greene started her job in Oxford five years ago, she made it her mission to get a trail in Oxford. With phase one completed in June 2017, Greene has been working with City Council members as well as the city manager to fund the next two phases. City Council has passed two resolutions in support of the trails.

“In 10 years it will be my 50th birthday,” said Greene. “By then, I want the trail to be complete.”

The first phase of the route begins at the corner of Morning Sun Road and Kelly Drive, then goes through the Black Covered Bridge and ends at Bonham Road. This path also connects to a 1.25-mile unpaved path to the DeWitt Log House and State Route 73.

Current plans call for a second path continuing from the DeWitt Log House to Peffer Park, 1.35 miles long. Phase three would connect Peffer Park to Talawanda High School.

Other proposed routes -- shown in teal, red and pink in the map below -- could be added in future years.

David Prytherch, a newly elected City Council member, has been working with Greene on the trail project since the beginning. He is excited about what this will bring to the community.

“People in Oxford have been dreaming about a multi-use trail for decades, so helping make that reality is a priority for me,” said Prytherch. “Oxford Area Trails are an incredible asset for active recreation, economic development, and improving quality of life. And over time it will provide alternative transportation options for getting around and through our community.”

The hope is to have phase two begin construction in 2019 and phase three in 2021.

'Significant' funds needed

While Greene feels confident in the city's ability to keep the project going, she knows progress will require a significant amount of money.

“We are still looking at all possibilities to fund the trail,” said Greene.

According to the city of Oxford website, as envisioned, the trail would cover 7.2 miles in total at a cost of just more than $8 million.

The first phase cost $670,000, which was primarily funded through a grant from Clean Ohio. The second phase will cost $1.9 million, with $750,000 of that already committed by the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI).

Greene said OKI has committed another $1.2 million to phase three, which has a total price tag of $2.2 million.

That leaves about $3.3 million in costs -- for the final phases of construction.

Prytherch feels confident that the remaining dollars for phase three can be raised.

“The biggest delay was in moving from plan/vision to building the first phase,” said Prytherch. “Right now our biggest limiting factor is a dedicated source of a local match, so we can get grants. We have had to turn away millions in grant dollars for want of a local match. The community has a choice about whether it wants to finish this trail, and how best to fund it.”

Top photo: A sign reading Oxford Recreational Trail at the corner of Kelly Drive and Morning Sun Road marks phase one of the Oxford Area Trail. That portion of the trail was completed in June 2017 and spans for a mile. -- Photo by Maggie Callaghan