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Osage Rail Corridor Preserved as Recreational Trail

Photo by: Eric Swanson

In a recent study of the parks systems in 25 of the country's largest cities, Inside City Parks, author Peter Harnik observes, "There is not a city in the nation whose space, layout, real estate value, traffic flow, public events, and even civic culture are not significantly defined by its urban parks, plazas, squares, circles, waterfront promenades, linear greenways, civic centers, and public gardens." Who can imagine Oklahoma City, for example, without the Myriad Gardens or Tulsa without its River Parks? These places help define our urban centers. And our urban centers, in turn, help define us as a state.

Parks and open spaces not only enhance our cities' scenic and recreational potential; they also improve our urban areas' economic health. Another TPL publication, The Economic Benefits of Parks and Open Space, explores the many ways in which urban parks, gardens, and recreational amenities attract commercial and residential investment and revitalize cities. The report also confirms that the cost of unchecked sprawl often outpaces tax revenue and that sprawling development does not pay for the infrastructure needed to sustain it. Communities that set aside and permanently protect their defining green spaces can guide the path of growth to support economic and environmental objectives.

In all these ways, parks, trails, and open spaces fundamentally enhance the quality of our daily lives. That is why TPL's Oklahoma State Office has made the creation of parks and the preservation of green spaces in our state's metropolitan areas its highest priority. Through its Oklahoma Green Cities Initiative, TPL addresses urban open space needs by responding to immediate opportunities as they arise, while developing long-term park, trail, and open space plans, or "greenprints," for the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas. Data from the last census confirm that Oklahoma and Tulsa counties are growing faster than the state as a whole. By identifying open space needs and opportunities, building political consensus, and negotiating and securing funding for land purchases, TPL will help ensure that our growing cities retain their vitality and natural beauty.

The north end of the Osage Trail will connect to Birch Lake, a popular recreation site Photo by: Eric Swanson

The recently completed Osage Trail project illustrates the Oklahoma Green Cities Initiative in action. TPL conveyed more than four miles of the inactive Osage Railroad corridor to the city of Tulsa for development of a scenic, recreational trail. The trail will extend from downtown Tulsa, near the OSU campus, to the city limits at 56th Street North. This rail-to-trail-conversion, which was contemplated in the Tulsa Metro Trails Master Plan, is just the first phase of an anticipated 35-mile trail project that will connect downtown Tulsa to Birch Lake in Osage County.

TPL acquired the rail corridor from the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SK&O) of Pittsburgh, Kansas. The SK&O petitioned the federal government last summer for authorization to abandon the line, which had been inactive for more than two years. TPL worked closely with the Indian Nation Council of Governments (INCOG) to explore the feasibility of converting the corridor into a scenic trail and to gauge public support for the idea.

After several meetings and tours of the line, TPL requested and received permission from the federal Surface Transportation Board to negotiate an alternative to abandonment that would benefit the public. With substantial assistance from INCOG, TPL successfully negotiated a purchase agreement with the SK&O. In March 2001, we acquired the four-mile segment of the corridor and simultaneously conveyed it to the city of Tulsa for trail development and maintenance. The railroad company will soon salvage its rails and ties, leaving the ballast as a foundation for the trail.

The Osage Trail will provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities for residents and visitors in north Tulsa, such as hiking, biking, and roller-blading. In addition, the trail will connect several north Tulsa schools, parks, homes, businesses, and churches, such as the Jordon Plaza Elderly Housing Project, Carver Middle School, Rudisill North Regional Library, Crawford Park, Tulsa Technology Center's North Tulsa Campus, and Whitman Elementary School.

This trail creation effort is a good example of TPL's ability to create and protect urban green space. It is an example that the Oklahoma State Office expects to replicate many times, in many cities. We are currently exploring park projects in Norman and Tulsa and continue to assess park needs and opportunities across the state.

For more information about TPL's Oklahoma Green Cities Initiative, or to discuss how TPL can protect land for people in your community, please call the Oklahoma State Office at (918) 481-7092. Also, visit www.tpl.org to learn how to obtain copies of Inside City Parks or The Economic Benefits of Parks and Open Space.