3:42 p.m. Open house scheduled for Joplin’s trail plans

By Debby Woodin

dwoodin@joplinglobe.com

Joplin residents will have an opportunity Thursday to view plans, offer comments and ask questions about walking and biking trails the city will soon begin building.

An open house where plans will be exhibited and city staff will be available will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday in the basement of City Hall, 602 S. Main St. Residents may come and go at anytime during the open house.

More than six miles of trails are to be built in the city at a cost of $1.1 million. Most of the cost — 80 percent — is to be paid with federal matching grant money. The city will pay 20 percent of the cost or about $220,000.

There are several trails proposed.

One will be extended east of the downtown area and northwest along Murphy Boulevard, through Landreth Park.

Another will extend from the Frisco Greenway trailhead to Ewert Park and on to Joe Becker Stadium.

A trail to serve the south side of Joplin will extend from the Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center in Wildcat Park along Shoal Creek.

The city’s public works director, David Hertzberg, told the City Council at a recent meeting that construction bids are to be opened around June 1.

Fourth things first

Work on the Landreth Park area trail is to begin after the Fourth of July holiday to allow use of the park during the city’s holiday celebration, Freedom Fest. Building the other trails will be scheduled for August.