Cycling enthusiasts may soon have a new set of trails to explore, thanks to the efforts of the Coweta County Board of Commissioners.

The commissioners unanimously approved on Tuesday an application to seek a $100,000 federal grant to build a series of bike trails throughout the county. The trails would wind through the county from Roscoe to Moreland and provide bicyclers a safe means of navigating the county.

Lee Walton, representative of Roberts and Company, drafted the federal grant. He said he did not know the exact amount of miles that would be built. The grant would help the county identify the trail more completely and provide adequate signage. If approved for the grant, the county would have to supply $20,000 in either cash or services. Walton recommended the county contribute $10,000 in cash and $10,000 in labor and other services.

In addition to providing a safer environment for cyclists, Walton said the trails would serve as a alternative means of transportation that would show the state how serious the county is about helping to solve emission problems in the county.

While the commissioners said most of the county's air quality problems were not caused by county residents, they agreed that an important message could be sent to the state with bike paths.

Walton said the first phase of the trail project would include placing signs throughout the county to mark the path and placing bike racks at major county parks. The phase would also include building trails in the areas of the county that express the highest demand.

The trails will connect the county's public and historic features and provide a well-marked trail for cycling buffs. The consultant said the location of the trails would be widened paved shoulders along some of the county's heavier travelled areas and also separate paths alongside the road.