Owasso council authorizes Surface Transportation Block Grant application for lane widening project

The Owasso City Council approved a resolution authorizing submission of an application for Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds for the East 86th/80th Street North lane widening project from North Garnett to North 119th Street.

Dwayne Henderson, a city staff member, told the council the corridor carries about 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles per day and that traffic counts make the project a competitive candidate for STBG funding. Staff's planning estimate, inflated to five years, put total project costs at about $12,500,000, covering construction, construction administration, utility relocation, right-of-way acquisition and engineering. Henderson said the STBG cycle this year is combining two years of funding and the program anticipates contributing about $4,000,000 toward the project if selected; the staff estimate implied the city would have to supply roughly the remaining $8,500,000, noting the city would still be obligated to provide an initial 20 percent local match.

Henderson said the application was due March 14 and that applicants should expect a notice in June; federal funds, if awarded, would likely be obligated in roughly five years though projects sometimes move up the list if design and local match are ready earlier. “We could get that money in 3 years if all the moons and stars lined up,” Henderson said, but he added the common timeframe is five to seven years.

Staff recommended approval of resolution 2025-O1 (as cited in materials). The council moved and approved the resolution; recorded votes showed Councilor Lindell Dunn, Councilor Cody Walter and Councilor Puiget voting yes.

The council did not adopt a construction schedule at the meeting. Henderson said the city has previously secured similar STBG funding for multiple corridor projects over the preceding 15 years and that combining two years of federal funds this cycle may make the application more competitive.