Story provided by the City of Stillwater
Transportation always seems to be a hot topic in Stillwater—that’s why we are taking time to talk about our upcoming transportation projects, long-term future ODOT projects, and to get valuable input from you about priorities in our transportation system.
“We know a lot of our residents are interested about the state of our transportation infrastructure, and we want to give everyone an opportunity to meet and learn about how the City funds and plans transportation projects,” Mayor Will Joyce said. “Hosting a town hall will give us a chance to involve our residents in the process and hear their concerns and ideas for the future of our transportation system.”
The Transportation Town Hall will start at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 10 in the Council Hearing Room at the Stillwater Municipal Building (723 S. Lewis St.).
The City Engineering and city management team will provide presentations on some of the key projects and topics concerning Stillwater’s transportation infrastructure. Some topics of interest include:
· Potential future Half-Cent Pavement Management projects
· Husband Street Bike Corridor project
· Perkins Road / U.S. 177 ODOT improvements project
· 6th Avenue / SH-51 ODOT improvements project
· Potential funding sources for projects, such as general obligation bonds or a dedicated sales tax
Additionally, staff and residents will discuss proposed improvements the City could pursue in the coming years.
On April 22, the Stillwater City Council approved the Half-Cent Pavement Management Plan Funding for Fiscal Year 2019/2020. Part of the purpose of the town hall will be to discuss potential projects that the City could pursue with this funding.
Following the presentations, audience members will have an opportunity to address the City Council and staff members with their questions, suggestions, and other input concerning transportation. Residents interested in asking questions at the town hall must be present to participate.
“We want residents to know transportation infrastructure is a priority, and we are making improvements with your taxpayer dollars as efficiently and wisely as possible,” City Manager Norman McNickle said. “We encourage you to join us on June 10 to learn about the process and the factors your city officials face when making these crucial decisions.”
The town hall will also broadcast live on our government access television station on Suddenlink channel 14, AT&T U-verse channel 99, and will livestream via YouTube Live at https://www.youtube.com/c/CityofStillwaterTV/live.
A replay of the meeting will play on the stations at 2 p.m. for about a month following the event. The video will also be posted to the City’s YouTube channel.
The City is responsible for the following:
· 440+ lane miles of asphalt and concrete pavements.
· 28 bridges
· 65 signalized intersections, which include traffic signals for all approach lanes and turn lanes, hardware for operation and communication between signals.
· 8,000+ traffic signs including stop signs, speed limits, street names, and advisory signs.
· 30+ miles of bike facilities, including share the road routes and bike lanes.
Oklahoma State Highway 51 (6th Avenue) & U.S. Route 177 (Perkins Road)
· The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is responsible for enhancing and repairing SH-51 and US-177 (Perkins Road, and Washington Street from Airport to Richmond).