The full City Council is getting a look today at the Top 10 Mill and Overlay priority projects recommended by one of its committees and city staff.
The first three streets on the Top 10 Mill and Overlay priority list are projects identified by City of Lawton engineers, and members of the council’s Streets and Bridges Committee said that is why they set as their priorities those streets: Northeast Cache Road from Flower Mound Road to Northeast 45th Street; Northwest 17th Street from West Gore Boulevard to Northwest Ferris Avenue; and Northwest 53rd Street from West Gore Boulevard to Cache Road (where private contractors recently completed a sidewalk project).
Other projects on the Top Ten were selected by council committee members familiar with the condition of residential streets, or because they agreed with engineering assessments.
The of the committee discussion centered on Northwest 6th Street from West Gore Boulevard to Northwest Ferris Avenue. While the street segment serves the Old Town North neighborhood, it also is one of the most direct routes into Elmer Thomas Park along Northwest Ferris. It also is a planned route for a designed bike trail connecting the park to downtown Lawton.
Ward 2 Councilman Kelly Harris said there already are discussions from a downtown redevelopment committee to make that portion of 6th Street one way. Harris said the proposal being explored would designate both Northwest 6th and Northwest 4th streets as one-way: a northbound travel lane and designated bike path on Northwest 6th Street and a southbound travel lane and designated bike path on Northwest 4th Street.
Ward 5 Councilman Allan Hampton, who represents the area, said Northwest 6th Street is a necessary and heavily traveled path into Elmer Thomas Park, particularly during the festivals it hosts, and it is important to keep the street in good condition. Streets Superintendent Cliff Haggenmiller agreed the street is heavily used, and has concerns about future plans.
“A lot of people use 6th Street as access,” he said, adding city vehicles also use the street. “The traffic count is high.”
High traffic also was the reason Bishop Road between South 11th and Southwest 6th Street was included. Haggenmiller and Painter said the street has a heavy commercial traffic count because of nearby businesses, but residents also use it.
Willowcrest, Northwest 67th Street to Mickelgate, is a collector street that draws traffic from the surrounding neighborhood. Council members said the segment wasn’t on any of their lists because it appears to be in good shape.
“The point is to keep it in good shape,” Painter said of the staff recommendation.
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