A Pittsburg company is looking over the lay of the land to make it easier for residents to roam around town. The city awarded Home Center Construction of Pittsburg the bid to start work on a new hiking and biking trail.

The trail will be handicap accessible and complete the loop from the University trail along Joplin, to Ron's Supermarket, and Highland Meadows, to Meadowbrook Mall.

The city says this project has been needed for a couple of years and it hopes construction will start this spring.

"This is a very important quality of life amenity that will assist students and handicap with fitness, but it's also accessibility for people in wheelchairs and handicapped adding something to the quality of life to the the community," says City Manager Allen Gill.

The project is funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation and will cost more than $400,000.

The city had to provide about $100,000.