JENKS - Voters will be asked to make a $13.76 million match to millions of pledged federal and state dollars for a major streets and access road overhaul.
City officials believe that the measure will give residents better access to buy things they need locally.
The City Council has scheduled an Oct. 8 election for the two-proposition bond issue.
The first proposition asks to spend $11.7 million on the city's arterials - Main Street and Elwood Avenue - and another $7.5 million to build access roads off the Creek Turnpike between Elm Street and the Arkansas River.
The second proposition would devote $2 million to update the city's sanitary sewer system, a measure officials say is needed to keep up with the growing population, which is expected to reach a maximum of 35,000.
The Main Street and Elwood Avenue projects are funded roughly 70 percent to 80 percent by the federal government, which comes with a requested local match of 20 percent to 30 percent.
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is contributing up to $10 million to a project that would redo and lengthen the Elm Street ramps off the Creek Turnpike and build access roads on each side with a "Texas turnaround," which would allow travel all the way to the Arkansas River.
City Manager Mike Tinker said there is a lot of potential for development south of the turnpike on the proposed River District property. A $1 billion shopping and entertainment proposal was stymied, at least in part, by the recession. But access to the Creek Turnpike was also a key component that didn't materialize.
"There's an $80 million-plus (tax increment financing district) in this area, and no one's really been able to take advantage of it because of the access," Tinker said. "I think people in Jenks really want to shop in Jenks. They don't want to drive all over Tulsa. This is where you'll probably find some big box retail. I think you'll see some big names."
Tinker said the message to Jenks' residents is this: "If you want to have the type of services and goods and the opportunities to stay in the community and not go fight traffic in Tulsa, we're going to have to have these roads."
Mayor Lonnie Sims said improvements to Main Street on previous federal-matching projects have been time-consuming because of federal law changes in how right of way is purchased - unlike projects the city has paid for independently, such as Elm Street improvements.
Time requirements for environmental clearance have also slowed some projects.
"We kind of have to do their dance because the majority of it is their money," Sims said. "It's an extremely frustrating and slow process."
But the total cost of the Main Street project alone is $18.5 million - a tax increase officials say they wouldn't want to put on the ballot. Voters on this project will be asked to spend $1.8 million on Main Street.
"It's huge. It really is as far as opening up our commercial (development) to the west and access from U.S. 75 to Main Street," Sims said. "That is a very busy road, and any time you have an accident on U.S. 75 it dumps a lot of traffic on Main Street. It can get extremely backed up there, especially at 5 o'clock."
Tinker said a troublesome constrictor is the Elwood Avenue intersection and the avenue itself between 111th and Main streets, which includes a bridge over Polecat Creek and heavy traffic from the Conoco Truck Fueling Station.
"We really have only three roads in Jenks. That's Main, Elm and Elwood. We're trying to move (almost) 20,000 people, soon to be 35,000 people, all the way through town on three roads," Tinker said.
Sims said he thinks the Main Street project, from Elm Street to U.S. 75, will need to be completed before development takes off.
"I think people are apprehensive to make that investment until that intersection at Elwood and Main is improved," Sims said. "Once Main's complete, I think you'll see that whole corridor through there develop commercial. We're very fortunate as a city to have the industrial players we do. When you look at this total bond, 40 percent of that is going to be paid for by them."
Tinker said there is a lot of potential for development south of the Creek Turnpike on the proposed River District property.
"Access to those areas has always been a problem," he said. "We've always talked about a second ramp."
Although a second ramp never panned out for engineering reasons, Tinker said the Turnpike Authority has designed something that works better for urban turnpikes.
It would not only help alleviate traffic build-up on the Elm Street exit ramps by extending the ramps, it would implement a "Texas turnaround" that allows drivers to get to commercial properties on both sides of the turnpike.
Best of all might be the elimination of the "second light" at the Elm Street exit on the north side of the Creek Turnpike. Many Jenks residents don't like it because it is in such close proximity to the light at Elm Street and Aquarium Drive.
Public Works Director Robert Carr said the revamped ramp would connect to Aquarium Drive, thus eliminating the need for the second light at the ramp.
When all is said and done, the Texas turnaround would connect the Oklahoma Aquarium to potential developments in the River District without having to get on the turnpike.
Sims said the city will be missing out if it doesn't take advantage of the Turnpike Authority's $10 million commitment.
"We run a big risk of losing that partner and having to foot the whole bill ourselves one of these days," he said.
Jenks' proposed GO bond projects
Proposition 1
Main Street (Elm Street to U.S. 75): $1.8 million
Elwood Avenue intersection (111th Street to U.S. 75): $1 million
Elwood Avenue (111th to Main streets): $1 million
Access roads: $7.5 million
Cost of issuance: $400,000
Proposition 2
Sanitary sewer infrastructure (phase 1): $2 million
Cost of issuance: $60,000
Total: $13,760,000
Election: Oct. 8
Property tax increase: $64.29 on a home valued at $100,000 in the first year, and $47.31 a year on the remaining life of the 20-year bond if both propositions pass.
The projects
Main Street: Main Street would be widened to four lanes, repaired and resurfaced with new sidewalks, curbs and guttering from Elm Street to U.S. 75 - a 2-mile stretch. The engineering is already complete, and the project is expected to be the first to start.
Elwood Avenue: Improvements would be made to the Elwood and 111th intersection and on 111st Street from Elwood to U.S. 75.
The widening of Elwood from 111th to Main streets would include resurfacing, repairing, bridge replacement, and sidewalks.
Access roads: The single-most expensive project is the addition of east and west access roads off the Creek Turnpike from the Elm Street exits to the Arkansas River. The bond would devote $7.5 million to the project on top of the Turnpike Authority's $10 million.
Susan Hylton 918-581-8381
susan.hylton@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: Jenks to ask voters for $13.76 million roads match
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