By Conrad Dudderar
Associate Editor
Yukon city leaders are seeking federal grants to pay for three major road improvement projects totaling an estimated $10 million that would ease traffic congestion.
The most-costly proposed project is an upgrade to the intersection of N.W. 10th and Cornwell/Czech Hall Road. The other two proposed projects are along sections of Garth Brooks Boulevard.
If grant funding is awarded, the City of Yukon would be required to provide an estimated $2 million in local matching funds – 20% of projected costs.
The Yukon City Council, at its Oct. 3rd meeting, voted 5-0 to approve resolutions for these three “Programming Surface Transportation Block Grant/Urbanized Area” projects:
- N.W. 10th Street and Cornwell Drive/Czech Hall Road intersection improvements – featuring dual turn lanes. Cost estimate is $6,110,000 with a City match of $1,222,000.
- Roadway improvements along Garth Brooks Boulevard from the Interstate 40 westbound on-ramp to Vandament Avenue. Cost estimate is $2,140,000 with a City match of $428,000.
- Roadway improvements along Garth Brooks Boulevard from N.W. 10th Street to Health Center Parkway. Cost estimate is $1,760,000 with a City match of $440,000.
“We’re now trying to apply for some grants,” Assistant to the City Manager Jason Beal told council members. “If we do get awarded the grant, we should find out in the spring.
“Then we’ll have time to budget for it (matching funds) in the next budget.”
Deadline is Oct. 31 to submit the grant application to the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG).
ACOG staff will analyze all project submissions in November and December, Yukon City Engineer Robbie Williams wrote in a Sept. 25th memo to City Manager Tammy Kretchmar.
ACOG officials are tentatively due to award grant projects in February 2024.
THIS AND THAT …
Among other business at their Oct. 3rd meeting, Yukon City Council members approved:
- Amending the City of Yukon’s fiscal year 2023-24 budget by $10,000 for police tasers and cartridges. This amount was transferred from the Police Public Employees Sales Tax (PEST) Fund.
- Finalizing the purchase of a 2024 Travis-Wave live floor trailer from Performance Trailer of Cleveland, Texas. Cost is $106,930.38. The council in September 2022 approved the purchase of a trailer from another company but delivery was repeatedly delayed.
- An agreement to release claims against JUUL Labs, Inc. as part of a settlement in a class action lawsuit over damages to young consumers caused by addictive e-cigarettes.
- A revocable permit application from Brady Smith of BMS Homes for a house that encroaches five feet into an existing utility easement in the 1400 block of Katelynn Court.
- Resignation of Rhonda Dennis from the Ward 4 seat on the Yukon Board of Adjustments.
