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City presents $35 million street-maintenance bond package for April ballot; staff says it’s not a new tax

Norman City Council · January 28, 2026

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Summary

Public Works staff told council the $35 million, five-year street maintenance bond would continue an existing levy (no new tax rate) and spread funds across asphalt, concrete, rural roads and preventative maintenance; council approved placing it on the April ballot after public questions about priorities and turnpike ties.

The City of Norman will ask voters April 7 to approve a five-year, $35 million street maintenance bond, staff told council Jan. 27.

Public Works Director Scott (presenter) described the program as a continuation of the city’s long-running maintenance bond collection rather than a new tax. "This is not a new tax," he said, noting the program has been approved repeatedly since 2005 and that growth in property values, not a higher millage rate, has increased revenues over time. He said the proposed package divides work among five programs: urban asphalt (25%), urban concrete (25%), rural asphalt (15%), urban reconstruct (20%) and preventative maintenance (15%). The plan lists specific streets and neighborhoods in the ordinance and aims to distribute projects across wards.

Scott and council members explained how pavement condition indices and maintenance strategy inform project selection and emphasized neighborhood-level grouping of work to minimize piecemeal repairs. The presentation included a breakdown of the program history and an interactive map (QR code) listing candidate streets.

Councilor Peacock pressed staff to confirm the plan is not intended to prepare streets for a proposed turnpike; Scott said staff did not use the turnpike in planning. "There was no consideration of Turnpike at all in our planning or our choosing of the roadways," Scott said.

Public commenters generally supported taking the program to voters and urged transparency about how streets are chosen; some residents asked about long-term affordability, the relationship between new development and maintenance obligations, and how the program’s work will be coordinated with water, sewer or storm improvements.

Council adopted the ordinance on final reading to place the bond on the April 7 ballot.

Next steps: voter education on specific streets and programs, and preparation of the ballot proposition and map for the county election board.