Shawnee city commissioners may be on the verge of missing out on a golden opportunity for a fourth interchange on I-40. To the dismay of many we have visited with the past several days, the commissioners put on hold a resolution reaffirming its support for an interchange on I-40 at Bryan Street.
There are already interchanges on I-40 at U.S. 177, Kickapoo Street and Harrison Street (SH 18). Other communities the size of Shawnee would be drooling over the opportunity to have annother interchange and additional access to I-40, knowing what it could mean to their economic well-being. No doubt Shawnee is the envy of many cities and towns who wouldn’t even think twice about it, especially if they had requested a feasibility study be conducted.
City commissioners should understand the nearly $6 million the State Transportation Commission has secured is for an interchange at I-40 and Bryan Street, if it’s deemed feasible by the Federal Highway Administration, and for no other location. This project has been identified as part of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s eight-year plan which was adopted and published in August-September 2009.
If the city turns down this opportunity, it won’t have to worry about another I-40 interchange in this area because State Transportation officials have made it crystal clear it’s either going to be Bryan Street or nowhere.
That location is identified in the city’s comprehensive plan. And it makes sense considering that Bryan Street was four-laned from Highland north to MacArthur and from there on to 45h Street it’s a two-lane with wide shoulders.
We watched the commissioners debate the other night the attributes of this proposed interchange, nearly three years after ODOT had been requested to conduct this study. State Transportation Secretary Gary Ridley told us the other day that in his many years with ODOT never had he known a community to ask for an interchange and then back up later and turn it down.
We hope Shawnee doesn’t become the first.
To our amazement, the day following the city commission’s action on Jan. 19, we learned that Highway Commission Chairman Dan Overland and former State Secretary of Transportation Phil Tomlinson, both of Shawnee, were sitting in the audience listening to the discussion. At no time did any of the seven commissioners ask for Overland or Tomlinson to step up and help answer some of the questions they seem to have.
It’s really unfortunate and we wonder why commissioners didn’t take the opportunity to seek clarification from either one or both of these gentlemen who would have gladly done so. It makes no sense.
This project is about economic development and providing another interchange into our city. It would broaden the sales tax base from the businesses which will eventually locate in that area and allow new growth.
The Greater Shawnee Chamber board endorsed this project more than two months ago. Although the Shawnee Economic Development Foundation tabled the resolution in a 8-2 vote in November, we are aware of several of those Trustees who have expressed support as well.
This project actually was derived more than 3 1/2 years ago from a special ad hoc committee headed up by Larry Briggs, president and CEO of First National Bank and Trust Co., who is also an SEDF trustee. Phil Tomlinson, who at the time was State Secretary of Transportation, former City Manager Jim Collard, Bill Ford, former COEDD chief Wayne Manley and others were among those serving on that committee.
Commissioners will have the project on their agenda Monday night, but apparently for discussion purposes only and to consider setting another public hearing. A hearing was already conducted prior to the commission approving the resolution in May of 2007 seeking the study.
Mayor Linda Peterson, who was vice mayor then, and today’s Vice Mayor Pam Stephens, both voted for that resolution.
We urge the mayor and the vice mayor to take the lead. There’s no need for another public hearing. What is needed is for the commission to reaffirm its earlier support for the interchange. If they keep messing around they might just lose this great opportunity, and that really would be an unforgiveable mistake.
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Shawnee city commissioners may be on the verge of missing out on a golden opportunity for a fourth interchange on I-40. To the dismay of many we have visited with the past several days, the commissioners put on hold a resolution reaffirming its support for an interchange on I-40 at Bryan Street.
There are already interchanges on I-40 at U.S. 177, Kickapoo Street and Harrison Street (SH 18). Other communities the size of Shawnee would be drooling over the opportunity to have annother interchange and additional access to I-40, knowing what it could mean to their economic well-being. No doubt Shawnee is the envy of many cities and towns who wouldn’t even think twice about it, especially if they had requested a feasibility study be conducted.
City commissioners should understand the nearly $6 million the State Transportation Commission has secured is for an interchange at I-40 and Bryan Street, if it’s deemed feasible by the Federal Highway Administration, and for no other location. This project has been identified as part of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s eight-year plan which was adopted and published in August-September 2009.
If the city turns down this opportunity, it won’t have to worry about another I-40 interchange in this area because State Transportation officials have made it crystal clear it’s either going to be Bryan Street or nowhere.
That location is identified in the city’s comprehensive plan. And it makes sense considering that Bryan Street was four-laned from Highland north to MacArthur and from there on to 45h Street it’s a two-lane with wide shoulders.
We watched the commissioners debate the other night the attributes of this proposed interchange, nearly three years after ODOT had been requested to conduct this study. State Transportation Secretary Gary Ridley told us the other day that in his many years with ODOT never had he known a community to ask for an interchange and then back up later and turn it down.
We hope Shawnee doesn’t become the first.
To our amazement, the day following the city commission’s action on Jan. 19, we learned that Highway Commission Chairman Dan Overland and former State Secretary of Transportation Phil Tomlinson, both of Shawnee, were sitting in the audience listening to the discussion. At no time did any of the seven commissioners ask for Overland or Tomlinson to step up and help answer some of the questions they seem to have.
It’s really unfortunate and we wonder why commissioners didn’t take the opportunity to seek clarification from either one or both of these gentlemen who would have gladly done so. It makes no sense.
This project is about economic development and providing another interchange into our city. It would broaden the sales tax base from the businesses which will eventually locate in that area and allow new growth.
The Greater Shawnee Chamber board endorsed this project more than two months ago. Although the Shawnee Economic Development Foundation tabled the resolution in a 8-2 vote in November, we are aware of several of those Trustees who have expressed support as well.
This project actually was derived more than 3 1/2 years ago from a special ad hoc committee headed up by Larry Briggs, president and CEO of First National Bank and Trust Co., who is also an SEDF trustee. Phil Tomlinson, who at the time was State Secretary of Transportation, former City Manager Jim Collard, Bill Ford, former COEDD chief Wayne Manley and others were among those serving on that committee.
Commissioners will have the project on their agenda Monday night, but apparently for discussion purposes only and to consider setting another public hearing. A hearing was already conducted prior to the commission approving the resolution in May of 2007 seeking the study.
Mayor Linda Peterson, who was vice mayor then, and today’s Vice Mayor Pam Stephens, both voted for that resolution.
We urge the mayor and the vice mayor to take the lead. There’s no need for another public hearing. What is needed is for the commission to reaffirm its earlier support for the interchange. If they keep messing around they might just lose this great opportunity, and that really would be an unforgiveable mistake.
