Road work ahead
By Lizzy Petersen
Photo of construction sign taken by Lizzy Petersen
Driving through Owasso, it is nearly impossible to disregard the enormous amounts of road construction. Almost every major roadway is undergoing some amount of alteration to make it better. Owasso is a growing community, and as it grows, adaptations must occur. Many of these changes include widening the roads to accommodate the enlarging population, patching road damage from weathering and simply updating the stop signs to traffic lights to prevent accidents.
These construction sites seem to be up forever but are only present for a fraction of the total project. It all begins with inspiration from citizen input, increased traffic, the number of accidents and changing land. A major part of implementing these plans is how Owasso can pay for it.
Public Works Director, Roger Stevens, states that Owasso has “Hands down the best finance staff in the state.”
It is important to have a hard-working staff to ensure that these projects may take place so that people will be safe on the roads. Stevens shares that Owasso gets funding from collecting 4.05% of sales tax and applying for federal grants.
These construction projects have different challenges that must be overcome before completion, which can alter each project's time frame. The plan must account for design above and below ground, accumulating the supplies needed for the project, moving them to the construction site’s location and constructing the road. These intricacies of planning and executing the project account for the lengthy time it takes to complete.
“The timeframe is approximately five years,” Stevens states.
Thankfully, these projects only have to be endured by the general public for a fraction of that time. To be notified and involved with the changes, citizens of the Owasso community are welcome to attend the City Council meetings. If unable to attend any meeting regarding the City Council approval, updates and discussions, the meetings are made available via audio recording. Another accessible way to keep up with essential updates is through the many social media accounts regarding the City of Owasso.
By staying up to date with the progress of road construction, it would not be surprising to see that a portion of the road may be closed at certain times. It may seem logical to simply close down an entire road to get more done faster, but that could cause more problems. Many homes and businesses along those roads would have little to no access, causing additional issues for the city.
Another important thing to be aware of is that though road work progresses or stays stagnant, the laws will continue to be enforced. There may be times when it seems that disregarding the regulations put in place is possible.
However, Stevens reassures that “The Owasso police department patrols construction sites on a routine basis.”
Following regulations put in place is critical for the safety of construction workers and other drivers. In a rapidly growing community like Owasso, it is important to ensure that road work projects can continue to occur as needed.