Lawton voters agree to extend ad valorem program for roads and bridges

Lawton will extend its Ad Valorem Streets Improvement Program by 10 years and another $60 million.

By a 41-vote margin, residents agreed Tuesday to approve the proposition extending an ad valorem program they initially created in 2017, one that restricts its revenue to repair and reconstruction of streets and bridges. Less than 2,400 residents cast ballots in the race, with a final tally of 1,216 “yes” votes or 50.86 percent of the total cast and 1,175 “no” votes or 49.14 percent.

City Council members and other city leaders have said the extension was vital in allowing the city to address continuing problems with streets and bridges. The program is crafted along the same lines as the 2017 program, meaning all revenue produced by ad valorem taxes may be spent only on work related to streets and bridges, which can include right of way needed for those projects and city-owned infrastructure associated with those locations.

Mayor Stan Booker, who had led a series of public meetings in recent weeks to explain the program, lauded residents who exercised their rights to vote and supported the program.

“We’re excited about the approval. It gives us the chance to address the urgent repairs needed for bridges, and address streets as well,” he said, adding the new program and its revenue will allow city leaders to make significant strides in addressing a comprehensive improvement plan. “Obviously, road infrastructure is vital to our community, to our citizens and visitors. I’m very pleased we came out on top. I appreciate everybody who went to the polls today. This is certainly a day you know your vote counted.”

Booker said the top priority remains two sets of bridges: two on South 11th Street between Interstate 44 and the city landfill that must be rebuilt; and two bridges on Cache Road between Northwest 44th Street and Oak Avenue that must be repaired. Both sets of bridges are weight-restricted due to their deterioration, and that has limited the city vehicles that use them. Booker said work will proceed on those two projects, while city staff and a council study committee continue with plans to set priorities for other bridge and road projects identified for the new program.

He said preliminary estimates indicate the bridge work can begin by the time the city sets its financing into place, a process estimated to take 90 days.

“We can get started real quick,” Booker said.