JASPER, Tenn. — The town’s walking track will be safer and more useful when lighting funded by a $128,000 state grant is installed later this year, Jasper resident Sam Lambert said.

Mr. Lambert, a Marion County native and Jasper resident since 1965, said he uses Jasper’s new walking trail every day, morning and night.

“To me it’s the best thing in the world to happen to Jasper,” said Mr. Lambert, 74. “The lighting will really help out.”

The 4,250-foot trail connects Marion County High School, Jasper Elementary, the county school board building, senior housing and recreational complexes. It was built last year with a $150,000 TDOT enhancement grant and $30,000 in local funds, records show.

Mayor Billy Simpson said the trail replaced one that was taken up for the construction of the Jasper Sports Complex. People missed their old walking path and used the track at Marion County High when school officials opened it up for public use, Mr. Simpson said.

Residents wanted to use the new trail as soon as plans were announced, he said.

“I would run into some of the senior citizens at different places and they were constantly asking, ‘Billy, when are we going to have the track open? We can’t wait to get it open,’” he said. “It’s just been a tremendous hit.”

But it may be a few months before the lights come on, Mr. Simpson said.

“We just found out Monday we have to go through the entire bid process again,” he said. Officials hoped the lighting work could be considered an extension of previous work, but Mr. Simpson said the state required the project to be put out for bids.

The mayor said police have few problems on the track except when drivers mistake it for a street.

“We had some trouble with some cars being driven on it,” he said. “They thought it was an extension out of the parking lot going out to the road.”

City hall publicized a request that cars stay off the new asphalt, and misguided travelers “were very cooperative,” Mr. Simpson said.

Mr. Lambert predicted the trail and ballfields in town will be more popular when warm weather and sports draw more people downtown.

“I’m sure it will be crowded this summer because when baseball season starts, people’s children are practicing ball, the parents will be over there walking,” he said.