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City engineer urges transportation fees, US‑42 work and local paving funds
Summary
City Engineer Jonathan Owen outlined engineering's 2026 goals: pursue transportation impact fees, scope US‑42 improvements in the southwest focus area, deliver the Bixby Parkway project, pursue state grants for overpass and intersection work, and restore local paving funding.
Jonathan Owen, city engineer, presented the engineering operating budget and 2026 capital priorities to the Finance Committee, saying most engineering resources are in the capital improvement program rather than the operating fund. He said the division manages roughly 180 active projects and reported $3.3 million in successful grant applications this year.
Owen described several transportation priorities for 2026: scoping and designing improvements to US‑42 in the southwest focus area (including lane additions and intersection work to support economic development), delivering the Bixby Parkway project and aggressively pursuing state grant dollars for a Glen Parkway railroad overpass and signal work on SR 37/US‑42. He identified implementing transportation impact fees as a strategic priority and said staff might present a proposal next quarter.
Owen also stressed the long‑term need to restore local funding for road maintenance, noting the city's local paving program has dwindled from about $1 million per year to virtually zero. He set an internal goal to exceed 90% compliance with established plan‑review timeframes by improving procedures and software and noted plans to revise engineering fees to better recoup land‑development and right‑of‑way review costs.
Owen invited questions and said engineering is coordinating with utilities, planning and regional partners (including ODOT) on funding and design for corridor projects.
