2017 GoBond Package News

[Plutonic Panda]

Do you think it would be better to do 19 years or five years? I'm thinking maybe five years might be interesting.

[bombermwc]

And to take a look at this from another side, mostly this will affect mortgage holders in a way that isn't much seen. Escrow will be where this hits most of us. If you're mortgage free, then you're looking at $10 more a month at a 2mil hike in the 150K example. On the surface, that really doesn't seem like a problem. Those of lower income wont be affected (renters/apartments). The aggregate value of those $10/month is huge for the city.

Now what i'm going to do is hold the city accountable for it. I expect to see some crap done. Fix the terrible roads, fix the stupidly programmed lights, fix the flooding neighborhoods, fix the water system that seems to have main/pump breaks regularly, etc.

[Spartan]

Do you think it would be better to do 19 years or five years? I'm thinking maybe five years might be interesting.

Five is much better. Voters here never reject anything that makes sense. I think OKC is in a better position in a lot of ways if they are not locked into a long-term development commitment. This bond issue is the most important thing that OKC does, and the reality is that OKC is an evolving city with evolving needs.

[Laramie]

Five is much better. Voters here never reject anything that makes sense. I think OKC is in a better position in a lot of ways if they are not locked into a long-term development commitment. This bond issue is the most important thing that OKC does, and the reality is that OKC is an evolving city with evolving needs.

Not so sure about the bonds; particularly the initiatives we need to go with something that doesn't exceed the five year range:

“The one that came up at the council meeting was to build a public parking garage near the new convention center. It would be able to serve motorists both for the convention center, the streetcar, the proposed hotel, and the Chesapeake Energy Arena,” Streuli said. “There have been some other ideas this week. One is building a fifth senior wellness center or adding to the plan for sidewalks and trails, or even down on the river doing some more work at Riversport Rapids.”

http://kgou.org/post/general-obligat...ouncil-meeting

The $10 million garage was an item that should have been included in MAPS 3. Council will need to decide what's more important--a garage or a fifth senior wellness center.

[Spartan]

Is that a real question? Why should a GARAGE have EVER been removed from the $280 million budget? Next they're gonna ask for extra for bathrooms and claim we won't even pay for bathrooms.

Gonna love the optics of the convention center screwing over seniors - the only demographic that votes in local elections.

Tired of the CC backers totally gaming this entire thing. Just build your damn convention center within the budget that voters didn't even want to approve all along. Other projects want more funding too, but no other committee is trying to screw the other projects over, which are the only projects voters actually wanted. We basically did nothing for sidewalks and trails...

They have let the CC committee run roughshod over everyone else and turn this into the very MAPS 4 CC that voters didn't want. The reality is they've paid Populous way more than budgeted for consulting, and need to find creative ways to recoup that.

[bradh]

Were more sidewalks not added?

[baralheia]

Yes, more sidewalks were added to the Maps 3 Sidewalks plan. The map that depicts the sidewalks to be built is more than a year out of date, so it's not accurate, but here it is anyway: https://www.okc.gov/home/showdocument?id=1798

Despite adding more sidewalks to the plan, even more are greatly needed. There are still a LOT of places that need sidewalks - and even more that need sidewalks on both sides of the street (nearly all of the Maps 3 sidewalks were only built on one side of the street).

[KayneMo]

I would love to see more sidewalks built, preferably on both sides of the street, and have the sidewalk network eventually completed.

I made a map of OKC streets with sidewalks, whether the street has a sidewalk on one side or both. I've been working on this for the past few weeks so that we could have a visual of what areas have, and don't have, sidewalks.

Inner OKC (mapping complete):


Wider OKC view (mapping incomplete):


I plan on eventually going farther out to include more of Edmond, Yukon, Moore, and maybe Norman. I believe the eastern part of the metro's sidewalk are, for the most part, all mapped out.

I've even started mapping Tulsa's sidewalks. Inner Tulsa is complete, though I still have a ways to finish outer Tulsa.

Inner Tulsa (mapping complete):


Wider Tulsa view (mapping incomplete):

[DoctorTaco]

I would love to see more sidewalks built, preferably on both sides of the street, and have the sidewalk network eventually completed.

I made a map of OKC streets with sidewalks, whether the street has a sidewalk on one side or both. I've been working on this for the past few weeks so that we could have a visual of what areas have, and don't have, sidewalks.

Inner OKC (mapping complete):


Wider OKC view (mapping incomplete):


I plan on eventually going farther out to include more of Edmond, Yukon, Moore, and maybe Norman. I believe the eastern part of the metro's sidewalk are, for the most part, all mapped out.

I've even started mapping Tulsa's sidewalks. Inner Tulsa is complete, though I still have a ways to finish outer Tulsa.

Inner Tulsa (mapping complete):


Wider Tulsa view (mapping incomplete):

These maps are so cool Kayne!! Is there any way to get them higher-res or in some other format that I can zoom in on them and look around more? Specifically the inner-OKC one. Thanks!

[progressiveboy]

Question? Why is the city only building sidewalks on one side and not the other? The city talks about promoting walkability, however, this is pretty short sighted in this effort.

[baralheia]

My guess is they are taking the view of "One is better than none", and want to try and stretch their funds to get at least something done on as many major streets as possible - which makes a modicum of sense. I agree, however, that it's far from ideal.

[JIMBO]

There is an area north of sw29th and west of Portland ave. that sidewalks on every street..
Does any one know the reason why they chose this neighborhood?
Was this done with maps money or gobond moneys?

[CarlessInOKC]

There is an area north of sw29th and west of Portland ave. that sidewalks on every street..
Does any one know the reason why they chose this neighborhood?
Was this done with maps money or gobond moneys?

This neighborhood also received resurfacing on all of its streets, which is where the sidewalks came from. All resurfacing projects in the GO Bond included funding for a sidewalk on one side of the street.

For those of you interested in sidewalks, the City is completing bikewalkokc (hopefully adopted in the next several months) and it has identified hundreds of miles of streets that are a priority for sidewalk improvements, and that includes sidewalks on both sides of the street, with improvements to intersections for safe crossing. planokc, the City's comprehensive plan, laid out a prioritization process based on providing access to those who needs it most, parks and schools, commercial districts, and neighborhoods. The approach is new for the city and should lead to better walkability.

If you would like more information about bikewalkokc, watch this presentation at the City Council in May (a lot more has been done since this presentation, but it gives a good idea of what is going on.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4jl...u.be&t=2h7m41s

And here's a version at Traffic and Transportation Commission: https://agenda.okc.gov/sirepub/mtgvi...doctype=AGENDA

[KayneMo]

These maps are so cool Kayne!! Is there any way to get them higher-res or in some other format that I can zoom in on them and look around more? Specifically the inner-OKC one. Thanks!

Thank you! Hopefully this link works where you can move around and zoom in:
https://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/vi...map/LhnkPlZZgZ

You can collapse the overlay panel on the left for more map view.

[pw405]

Thank you! Hopefully this link works where you can move around and zoom in:
https://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/vi...map/LhnkPlZZgZ

You can collapse the overlay panel on the left for more map view.

Holy crap.... did you manually do this street by street? Nice!!

Re: Go Bond. I say shoot for the stars - $2 billion!!! I want my damn sales tax & state income tax raised already!!

[pw405]

Holy crap.... did you manually do this street by street? Nice!!

Re: Go Bond. I say shoot for the stars - $2 billion!!! I want my damn sales tax & state income tax raised already!!

And keep the current sales tax where it is - forever! I don't even care anymore. Just fix the trash roads and do it right!!!

[Plutonic Panda]

Here is the full project list for 2017 GoBond: https://www.okc.gov/home/showdocument?id=7501

They are focusing on more reconstruction projects than widening projects although the list doesn't specify much other than what streets will have work done to them. They do say which ones will be widened, reconstructed, or have improvements to them but don't get specific like how many lanes will be added, bike lane details, sidewalks on both sides or just one side, etc. Hopefully they'll release more later.


Some interesting things to note:

Sarah Rd. Widening

I-240 Service Rd from S Penn Ave to S Western Ave $2,640,000

reconstruction or resurfacing

NW 23rd getting improvements

NW 23rd St. from N. Western Ave. to N. Broadway Ave. $3,300,000

N. Classen Blvd. from W. Sheridan Ave. to NW 10th St. $2,750,000

1. New Pedestrian Bridge in the vicinity of Northwest Expressway and N
Wilshire Blvd.

4. May Avenue over Northwest Expressway $1,925,000

Park improvements

1. Macklanburg Park $1,100,000
2. Melrose Park $1,100,000
3. North Rotary Park $1,000,000
4. Washington Park $650,000
5. Taylor Park $1,100,000
6. South Lakes Park $2,825,000
7. Wheeler Park $2,675,000
8. Bricktown Ball Park $4,625,000

1. New neighborhood parks in Wards 3, 4 and 8 $10,000,000
2. New Park in NW Oklahoma City, to include soccer facilities $5,000,000
3. Douglass Park- new recreation center to include indoor aquatic
facility
$17,520,000
4. Lincoln Park- Softball Hall of Fame Stadium improvements $27,500,000
5. Woodson Park- new four field softball complex $10,800,000
6. Will Rogers Park-new tennis clubhouse $2,000,000

1. Douglass Park- James Stewart Golf Clubhouse $5,500,000
2. Earlywine Park- Earlywine Golf Clubhouse $10,450,000
3. Lake Hefner- Hefner Golf Clubhouse $11,880,000

New river bridge

b. Abandoned rail corridor from S Agnew Ave to the River Trail
on the north side of the Oklahoma River
$1,900,000

Repair, renovation, remodeling and improvement of the City’s Downtown
Arena at 100 W Reno, now called the Chesapeake Energy Arena, which
may include related design, engineering, real property acquisition,
infrastructure, drainage, utilities, roadways, parking, exterior site
improvements, equipment, furnishings, landscaping, irrigation, fencing and
technology improvements; and, expenses of the bond issue. $8,865,000

PROPOSITION NO. 8
(CIVIC CENTER COMPLEX)
Shall The City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma, incur an indebtedness by
issuing registered bonds in the sum of Twenty Million One Hundred Eight-five
Thousand Dollars ($20,185,000) to provide funds for the purpose of repairing,
renovating, equipping and improving City buildings and facilities within the Civic
Center Complex, to be owned exclusively by said City, to be completed with or
without the use of other funds, and levy and collect an annual tax, in addition to
all other taxes, upon all the taxable property in said City sufficient to pay the
interest on said bonds as it falls due, and also to constitute a sinking fund for the
payment of the principal thereof when due, said bonds to bear interest at a rate not
to exceed ten percent (10%) per annum, payable semi-annually, and to become
due serially within twenty-five years from their date?

(CITY MAINTENANCE FACILITIES COMPLEX)
Shall The City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma, incur an indebtedness by
issuing registered bonds in the sum of Thirteen Million Eight-five Thousand
Dollars ($13,085,000) to provide funds for the purpose of expanding,
improving, constructing, equipping and furnishing the City’s Central
Maintenance Facilities Complex at S.W. 15th St. and S. Portland Ave., including
the City’s Primary Data Center and its related citywide data transmission
network, and a new City Archives and Records Facility to be located at the
Central Maintenance Facilities Complex, along with real property acquisition, to
be owned exclusively by said City, to be completed with or without the use of
other funds, and levy and collect an annual tax, in addition to all other taxes,
upon all the taxable property in said City sufficient to pay the interest on said
bonds as it falls due, and also to constitute a sinking fund for the payment of the
principal thereof when due, said bonds to bear interest at a rate not to exceed ten
percent (10%) per annum, payable semi-a

I do wish more mass transit projects were included such as a Classen-NW Expressway BRT system would be fully or even just partially funded.

[LocoAko]

I may have missed this, but is there a map available anywhere showing these streets? Some of the lists are really long and I'm having trouble visualizing how this all fits together.

[Plutonic Panda]

Not that I have seen. I'm hoping they will put one together and give more details.

[shawnw]

data.okc.gov

Probably the new stuff is not there because it is not voted on yet.

[SoonerDave]

Forgive the naive question, but how are the property tax rates affected? Just didn't see any numbers in the doc.

[SoonerDave]

Forgive the naive question, but how are the property tax rates affected? Just didn't see any numbers in the doc.

Disregard. Saw the rough numbers earlier in the thread. Looks like I can expect about an 8% increase in property taxes if this goes through.

[Pete]

Forgive the naive question, but how are the property tax rates affected? Just didn't see any numbers in the doc.

They aren't.

The bonds are merely borrowing money against future tax streams, which are paid off with those revenues over time.

[shawnw]

data.okc.gov

Probably the new stuff is not there because it is not voted on yet.

I asked the city via twitter to put the new stuff on the map and the response was:

"We plan to do that, but we don't have an estimated date when it will be ready yet."

[Plutonic Panda]

Thank you, Shawn. I am needing a Google Maps imagery update as well. I check it everyday.