District 2 Update: Paving projects scheduled to begin this week

Road paving is getting underway as we get past the spring rains. Weather delays have occurred for our contracted paving projects. More rain could delay paving projects further. This will bring the total number of roads paved in the last 7 1/2 years to 22.5 miles.

Waterloo repaving from Pine (Air Depot) to Midwest, is to start Wednesday, the 15th. One lane should remain open with traffic flaggers. Please exercise patience and caution while going through this mile. The project will take 5 to 6 days.

Charter Oak paving from Midwest going east to the half mile will start today and end Tuesday. The road will stay open but will have flaggers. AT&T has still not relocated a fiber optic and a 900pr cable off of a plugged up culvert just to the west of Petty’s Pitstop so that it can be replaced.

Westminster from Waterloo to Simmons is expected to begin no later than Monday, the 27th. Depending on how our other paving projects go, it could be sooner.

A commitment was made by Ray Vaughn, Ok District 3 commissioner, Brian Taylor, ODOT Div 4 and myself to pursue federal funding through ACOG for an extension of the I-35/Waterloo ODOT project.  Currently, five lanes are planned for a quarter mile east and west of I-35. Federal funding will be pursued to extend a three lane reconstruction of Waterloo Rd to Pine (Air Depot) and to Sooner with a pledge by Brian Taylor to provide the engineering.

Traffic Signals, Inc, with their company on Boucher Dr just to the west of the Waterloo/I-35 intersection, has agreed to donate the temporary use of signal lights with installation and Ok Co D3 has agreed to accept maintenance costs for the lights till 2021. A meeting on the 24th will discuss any changes to the engineering plans for this intersection. ODOT hopes to complete the project in October or November. It is my plan to construct a westbound right turn lane onto Sooner at this time.

ODOT continues to change the standards by which county projects are constructed. Requirements are now up to state highway specifications. Our legislators have continued to raid this fund. As a consequence, all counties plans throughout the state have been dramatically affected. More and more, Logan County is becoming dependent on the new 1/4 cent sales tax for roads passed in late 2014.

The new On Cue demolition and construction is planned to start July 5th. This will be their largest style of store, bigger than the one under construction on 15th at I-35. The store should open around the end of the year.

The tornado sirens, for Post at Hwy 105 and for Pine a half mile north of Waterloo, are delayed until after the June 28th. Legislators have decreed that no assets can be purchased or sold until the sitting commissioner is reelected or until the new commissioner is sworn in.

The new guardrails and safety upgrades for Seward and Douglas intersection and new guardrails for two other bridges by Action Safety have been delayed again for weather. Originally scheduled for the last of May, it may be early July before they will be installed, hopefully, in time for the Little Britches Rodeo Finals July 5-10 at the Lazy E.

Last month, I was able to orchestrate a meeting between ODOT Division 4 and the city manager of Guthrie concerning traffic signals at the Hwy 33/105 intersection. After assessing the data that was collected on traffic at this challenging intersection, we now have a commitment by the city and ODOT for traffic signals. The first step is to get it engineered by ODOT. It is hoped to have them installed this winter.

A traffic study has been scheduled for westbound traffic for both Hwy 33 and for Hwy 105 from Post to Hwy 33/105 intersection. Westbound trucks on Hwy 33, coming around that corner, find that they must make a sudden right turn onto Midwest to go to the truck entry to the new Loves Truck Stop. There is constant use of jake brakes. On Hwy 105, traffic accidents occur way too often along that stretch, mostly because of excessive speed.

Rollercoaster Rd rebuilding has come close to completion. Asphalt paving should be in August or September.

The new Rural Water District 1 waterline project on Indian Meridian from Langston to Meridian is underway. Currently, it is headed south from CR 75 on the east side of I.M. to a half mile north of Hwy 105 where it will cross the road to the water tower. From there, it will continue south on the west side of I.M. to the old water well in Meridian.

We appreciate the support, the communications and the patience which you have given us.  Do not count on “someone else” to keep us informed on road conditions. We will respond as soon as we are able. Our office is 282-3405 and my cell is 405-650-0384 (I text too). Or email us at [email protected]