If you have walked the Oxford Area Trails recently, you may have noticed some areas are under construction. If you are curious about what is happening and what will be happening soon - read on!
Before we begin, let’s break down each phase of the trail.
Oxford Area Trails - Phase Guide
Phase One - Black Bridge Connector. Begins on Morning Sun Rd. at Kelly Drive and goes to
Bonham Rd. This portion was completed in 2017.
Phase Two - Miami Connector. Links SR 73 at the DeWitt Log Cabin Parking lot to the Peffer Park Parking lot on US 27. This portion was completed in 2020.
Phase Three. There are two segments for this phase. Segment A from Bonham Rd to SR 73 (DeWitt Log Cabin Parking Lot) and Segment B from Peffer Park to the Talawanda High School. The portion is estimated to be completed in 2023/2024.
Segment A
Segment B
Phase Four. Will link Talawanda Middle School to the Oxford Community Park. This portion is estimated to be completed in 2024.
Phase 5. Will link Talawanda High School to Talawanda Middle School with a connection to the Chestnut Fields Multi-Modal Facility. This is estimated to be completed in 2025.
Future Phases. To close the gap between the Oxford Community Park and the Black Covered Bridge.
What is Happening Now?
Phase Three
Both segments of the phase are currently under construction. Segment A, the crushed stone that previously made up the trail between Bonham Rd. and SR 73 is now pavement. Concrete is being placed in areas of concern for erosion before this segment will be complete.
Freshly Paved Segment A
The creation of the new paved trail, Segment B, from Peffer Park to Talawanda High School is underway now, with an estimated completion date in 2024.
The end of this phase will mean some great things for our trail goers! Visitors requiring paved trails will now have a much longer path - from the Black Bridge all the way to Talawanda High School.
Those who choose to utilize the portion between Peffer Park and THS will find an exciting new viewing spot to sit that overlooks the bluffs and creek. See the design mock-up of the overlook below:
Segment B Overlook
JUST FINISHED! The Community Park Connector - the small section that will connect the Oxford Community Park with Phase IV through Owl’s Landing - was just completed. Take a look:
This new project connects the Oxford Community Park (See the Aquatic Center in the upper left part of the photo) with Owl’s Landing. Owl’s Landing is a housing development that is currently under construction but which will provide 86 plots on 22 acres of land.
What’s Up Next?
Phase Four
This portion will travel from Talawanda Middle School along SR 732 (Oxford Reily Rd.), where the existing sidewalk currently is, will cross the road at Dana Drive (the yellow lights) and continue along the western side of the road. It will then cross at Chestnut and continue on the north side of Brookville Rd. to cut in at Owl’s Landing and connect to the Community Park.
Work will begin on this phase, starting with demolitions of existing structures, later this year. It is estimated to be completed in 2024.
Phase Five
This portion will travel from Talawanda High School to Talawanda Middle School.
Phase 5, shown in yellow, will also provide a connection to Chestnut Fields Multi-Modal Facility - the future site of the Oxford Amtrak Station.
The Future of the Oxford Area Trails
Connecting the Oxford Community Park with the Black Covered Bridge
The northwestern portion of the trail is currently on pause while the rest of the southern portion of the trail is finished. City staff will continue to work on identifying priorities for connections in this section as well as seeking possible partners for trail locations although one thing is for certain - more grants will be needed to finish this exciting project.