Tulsa Capital Effort Heavy On Streets

bb070113ok-600.jpg

DALLAS – A $919.7 million capital improvement program going before Tulsa, Okla., voters in November would devote more than half the funding to street repairs.

The Tulsa City Council approved a non-binding resolution Thursday to dedicate $470 million of the capital program to improve the condition of city streets.

The street effort will be funded by an estimated $355 million of general obligation bonds and revenue from a 1% city sales tax for capital improvements and a 0.167% sales tax earmarked for a Fix Our Street program approved by voters in 2008.

The newest version of Tulsa’s capital program was initially proposed at $800 million, but city departments submitted $1.8 billion of requests.

The final price tag may be revised after a series of public meetings now under way.

In addition to the $470 million for street repairs, the plan also allocates $102.6 million for street widening, $29.9 million for bridge repair and maintenance, and $24.7 million for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

Council member Phil Lakin said the capital projects included in the program are essential needs.

"We have the foundation for a very good program that will affect the way our city operates, affect the streets that we drive on every single day,” he said at a council briefing last week. “I’m super excited about what we're going to put before the voters in November."

The council must call the election in September to put the issue on the November ballot as planned. It could wait until January to call for an election at the next available date in April 2014.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
Transportation industry Oklahoma
MORE FROM BOND BUYER