SECTION 2
COMMUNITY ANALYSIS
2.5 Existing Pedestrian / Bicycle Circulation Another important component of Owasso’s infrastructure that has a signifi‐ cant effect on quality of life is the pedestrian and bicycle circulation system. A major goal that has been identified for this study is the creation of one contiguous pedestrian trail system. A walkable community is made up of trails and walks that connect neighborhoods, schools, parks and other com‐ munity destinations. This system has several components, including off‐ road trails and sidewalks that are within the public street right‐of‐way. Bike facilities include a combination of dedicated bike lanes in addition to streets that are designated as shared bikeways. In this section, drawings are included (Figures 14‐17) that illustrate the gen‐ eral extent of the existing sidewalk system along Owasso’s arterial streets. These maps divide the city into four quadrants and show locations where sidewalks currently exist along main roadways. In general, the sidewalk system is more complete in core areas of the community, particularly along streets that have been improved or widened in recent years. There are still significant areas of the city where there are no sidewalks along arterial streets, especially where main roads are 2 lanes and have not been im‐ proved. Currently, arterial streets crossing under Highway 169 do not ac‐ commodate pedestrians or bikes adequately, although the planned highway construction project (between 56th and 116th Streets) will create an impor‐ tant opportunity to remedy this. Off‐road pedestrian trail routes and “Share the Road” Bikeways are pro‐ posed on the Owasso 2010 Land Use Master Plan. Proposed trail alignments are also shown on the 2015 Parks Master Plan. These proposed trails gen‐ erally follow drainageways, the SKO railroad, and the Highway 169 corridor. To date, none of these planned trails have been constructed.
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Recent City of Owasso projects with good sidewalks include Main Street in the downtown area (top photo) and 129th East Avenue (bottom photo). Both of these projects provide universal access and meet the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act.