Better Streets, Safer City continues to make improvements in OKC

Oklahoma City is making meaningful efforts to improve our streets and trail systems. Though our pedestrian- and bike-friendliness have not always been notable factors of our city’s lifestyle, things are quickly changing!

Thanks to the Better Streets, Safer City program, street enhancements throughout our city have been made to benefit all our community’s users, whether you choose to travel by scooter, bike, automobile, streetcar, or foot.

What is the history of the Better Streets, Safer City program?

The voters of Oklahoma City approved this program in 2017, providing an unprecedented investment into our streets, traffic infrastructure, and sidewalks. It was funded by the approval of a bond program that will sell bonds for the next decade and a one-cent sales tax that was collected through March of 2020.

How much funding will the program provide?

The initiative expects to provide a total of $766,580,000  for streets, traffic infrastructure, trails and sidewalks along streets.

Where can I get an update on the program’s projects?

An update on Better Streets, Safer City’s initiatives can be found here. This list includes the projects already completed, planned for the future, and those currently underway.

What are some examples of the types of infrastructure the projects address?

The largest allocation of funds (60%) goes to the resurfacing of roads, but the projects include trail construction, new bike lanes, sidewalks, on-street parking, landscaping, and more. The city of Oklahoma City defines some of the frequently used terms in the Better Streets, Safer City program as follows:

Arterial- is a high-capacity road whose primary function is to deliver traffic from collector (residential) roads to other arterial roadways or freeways.

Intersection Improvements- improvements may include replacement of traffic control equipment, materials and/or technology improvements.

Street Enhancements- improvements may include landscape, amenities such as benches and/or trash receptacles, lighting and sidewalks.

Sidewalk- constructed from concrete to include ADA ramps and tactile domes.

Trail- typically wider than a sidewalk and constructed from asphalt.

Widening- improvements include increasing the roadway width from 2 to 4 lanes.

What are some of the program’s accomplishments from 2020?

• More than 193,000 linear feet of curb and gutter replacement.
• Improvements to 115 intersections for items such as traffic signals, street signage or crosswalks.
• Installation of over 1,800 ADA-compliant accessibility ramps.

Enjoy the smooth roads, bike paths, and well-constructed sidewalks in our city, and look forward to continued enhancements.

This article originally appeared on The Better Life blog.