Better Streets ($.01 sales tax)

[Pete]

Press release;

Here is the first list of projects recommended by the advisory board:




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Better Streets, Safer City Advisory Board holds first meeting

The 11-member Better Streets, Safer City Advisory Board met Thursday for the first time, making its first recommendations to the Oklahoma City Council about new temporary sales tax projects.

The board will make recommendations for Council approval regarding priorities, timelines and other elements of the pay-as-you-go street, sidewalk and trail projects included in the temporary sales tax portion of the Better Streets, Safer City program.

Thursday’s actions included a recommendation to start work first on highly-traveled streets with the greatest need for improvements. The board recommended a list of 16 projects throughout Oklahoma City, using criteria to identify projects that will improve pavement conditions for the most possible drivers.

The City Council will consider the recommendations for approval, and the projects could begin as early as this spring.

The temporary penny sales tax took effect Jan. 1, 2018, after the MAPS 3 tax expired, and it’s expected to generate about $240 million over 27 months: $168 million for street resurfacing, $24 million for streetscapes, $24 million for sidewalks, $12 million for trails and $12 million for bicycle infrastructure.

The sales tax projects are joined by the other major Better Streets, Safer City initiatives: a 10-year, $967 million bond program (including $536 million for streets, bridges, sidewalks and traffic control), and a permanent ¼ cent sales tax for more police officers, more firefighters and day-to-day operations.


Also on Thursday, the board voted to meet on the first Monday of each month at 10 a.m. in Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave.

The next meeting is 10 a.m. Feb. 5. The board, its meetings and records are subject to the state Open Meetings Act and Open Records Act. Agendas and minutes are available at okc.gov/agenda.

The 11 board members are:

Hal McKnight, Chairman
Michael Taylor, Ward 1
Jamie Dunnington, Ward 2
Jeff Groves, Ward 3
Brooke McGowan, Ward 4
Jim Lehew, Ward 5
Brenda Campos Hernandez, Ward 6
Sandino Thompson, Ward 7
Don Noble, Ward 8
Steve Dixon, at-large
Jason Johnson, at-large


Members, appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council, serve three-year terms and are volunteers. City staff provides administrative and legal support.

City staff presents the board with agenda items related to prioritization, timelines, design, contracts and other matters.

The list of agenda items is based on needs throughout Oklahoma City.

The projects will help address street conditions, the perennial top priority of Oklahoma City residents in the Council’s annual resident survey. The result will be smooth and safe streets for drivers, on-street amenities for recreational and commuting cyclists, and streetscapes and trails.

[NoOkie]

I was just griping about how bad the road surface on Rockwell was getting at NW Expressway.

[GISinOK]

Here's a map for ya

[Plutonic Panda]

Not complaining about better road surfaces but I sure hope this is more than a mere resurfacing. I did see where they said about bike and pedestrian infrastructure as well as streetscapes, but that’s pretty vague. If they’re already recommended specific streets, don’t they have some sort of idea what they’re going to do? I wish the city would clarify these things better. Especially with the new GoBond to include renderings and specifications of what they’re going to do.

[Pete]

Not complaining about better road surfaces but I sure hope this is more than a mere resurfacing. I did see where they said about bike and pedestrian infrastructure as well as streetscapes, but that’s pretty vague. If they’re already recommended specific streets, don’t they have some sort of idea what they’re going to do? I wish the city would clarify these things better. Especially with the new GoBond to include renderings and specifications of what they’re going to do.

The chair of the advisory board is Hal McKnight who is a local bike shop owner, avid cyclist and has been the driving force behind a lot of the OKC bike trails. He has served in a similar capacity on the MAPS Trails subcommittee.

The trails group has a bigger plan for OKC that McKnight is spearheading so expect to see a lot more in the future.

As a part of this sales tax $24 million is for trails and bike infrastructure and and another $24 million is for sidewalks.

[rte66man]

I'm really disappointed in their priority list. Makes me wonder if streets like NW 50th between I-44 and Portland and Portland from 50th to 63rd will be resurfaced in the next 10 years.

[jompster]

I'm really disappointed in their priority list. Makes me wonder if streets like NW 50th between I-44 and Portland and Portland from 50th to 63rd will be resurfaced in the next 10 years.

Those sections of 50th needed it more than the stretch between May and Penn. That stretch is still smooth enough that I was able to admire the fall foliage a few months ago and not drive into a gaping hole. Maybe those who created this list should go drive down Portland between NWX and 23rd.

[Anonymous.]

That stretch of Reno isn't even able to driven on over 10mph. And it is the lead-in to a thriving Farmers Market District.

[bradh]

those are some solid choices, along with the ones already mentioned, that first 1/4 mile north of Hefner on MacArthur alone is bad enough that the whole stretch got chosen.

[Pete]

That stretch of Reno isn't even able to driven on over 10mph. And it is the lead-in to a thriving Farmers Market District.

Yep, I was just down there last night, had forgotten about this list, and thought to myself how bad that stretch is.

[onthestrip]

Lets not forget N. Western from 23 to 36. Really N. Western from I40 to 36.

[Zuplar]

Honestly driving further into the City from my house all the roads with the exception of one are complete garbage, with numerous potholes and portions that have completely failed. Luckily I live close to Mustang, and since they are so tiny, most of their roads are decent. This is a start though.

[TheTravellers]

Lets not forget N. Western from 23 to 36. Really N. Western from I40 to 36.

And from Wilshire N to at least Britton and maybe further, although that may be addressed by the bonds just voted on, not totally sure...

[BLJR]

I just put $500 in suspension repairs on a truck that has 60K miles on it, and I don't abuse or offroad it. I have to think that the daily route driven has something to do with it. NW 50th between Penn and May??? C'mon man.... that is a 2 lane, lightly traveled, and it really isn't that bad comparatively.

[rte66man]

Also NW 30th between Classen and Walker. I know they put curbs and sidewalks in about 10 years ago. The problem is with the enormous sections that have been torn up to fix pipes, sewers, etc. They need to plane off the rough pars and lay down new asphalt from curb to curb.

[Plutonic Panda]

Also NW 30th between Classen and Walker. I know they put curbs and sidewalks in about 10 years ago. The problem is with the enormous sections that have been torn up to fix pipes, sewers, etc. They need to plane off the rough pars and lay down new asphalt from curb to curb.

Or they could completely reconstruct the street in cement. Add the proper number of lanes. Install protected bike lanes. Bury the utility lines and add landscaping. They can do that, right?

[jompster]

Or they could completely reconstruct the street in cement. Add the proper number of lanes. Install protected bike lanes. Bury the utility lines and add landscaping. They can do that, right?

They *could*, but we know that three weeks later they would tear a big hole in it to "fix" something and then fill it in with asphalt that isn't tall enough so that people drive into it and bust a tire, and then have to fill out one of those forms to submit to City of OKC Legal and dance around like a puppet while waiting for them to finally cut a check. Rinse and repeat.

[pw405]

I'm really disappointed in their priority list. Makes me wonder if streets like NW 50th between I-44 and Portland and Portland from 50th to 63rd will be resurfaced in the next 10 years.

Lord.... 50th and Portland is complete trash. It always throws my car left/right in a manner that could actually make one lose control in wet or icy conditions. I actually drive slightly off-center to avoid the gully.

[gopokes88]

Or they could completely reconstruct the street in cement. Add the proper number of lanes. Install protected bike lanes. Bury the utility lines and add landscaping. They can do that, right?

Would it kill you not to be so pretentious on this board for like just one day?

[LocoAko]

Lord.... 50th and Portland is complete trash. It always throws my car left/right in a manner that could actually make one lose control in wet or icy conditions. I actually drive slightly off-center to avoid the gully.

Same. And it's seemingly worse the slower you drive over it.

[Pete]

The first of these projects have started as part of the Better Streets, Safer City initiative.

This is NW 50th west of Penn:

[Thomas Vu]

Thank you for posting progress pictures! I forgot this was a thing and it's nice to see results.

[LakeEffect]

Do you know what the treatment on NW 50th is to be? Resurface? Widen?

[shawnw]

I thought they were starting with the very worst streets first. 50th doesn't strike me as particularly bad. Just drove on it yesterday.

[shawnw]

Let me clarify, the stretch between May and Penn that is coned off doesn't strike me as bad. 50th/Portland is another story.