Transportation Committee Recommends $10 Million Plan for Fiscal Year 2026

The Transportation Project Advisory Committee unanimously recommended a $10 million pavement management plan for fiscal year 2026 during its July 24 meeting, setting the stage for extensive infrastructure improvements across Stillwater.

The comprehensive plan allocates $2.23 million for full reconstruction projects, $3 million for various pavement maintenance treatments, $1 million for sidewalk improvements, and $800,000 for full-depth repair patching. An additional $1.08 million is designated for public works maintenance capital projects, with a 20% contingency built into the budget.

"My goal is to take this plan to Council in August," said Director of Engineering Bill Millis, who presented the proposal to committee members.

The plan targets several specific reconstruction projects based on Pavement Condition Index scores. Mathews Street from Duck to Husband, rated poor at an average PCI of 30, will receive $300,000 for improvements. The stretch of 10th Avenue from Lewis to Lowry, with a PCI of 20, very poor, is allocated $410,000.

A notable addition to the plan includes $210,000 for intersection improvements at 19th and Western. The project aims to address traffic congestion by potentially adding a northbound stacking lane.

"There is all that traffic stacking that's northbound right there at that light on Western," Millis explained. "This would allow for development of a stacking lane right there and just to relieve that stacking traffic that is so terrible."

The committee also recommended design work for 26th Avenue from South Western to Washington, extending the scope to reach Main Street. Originally planned for both design and construction, the project was scaled back to design only to manage budget constraints, with construction planned for future fiscal years.

Stillwater's Transportation Fee Fund Sees Windfall from Major Developments

Meanwhile, the city's Transportation Fee Fund has experienced significant growth, collecting $420,942 in fiscal year 2025 compared to typical annual collections of around $140,000. The increase stems from major development projects including the Google Data Center Phase 1, the new high school, and the Tonkawa Tribe's HUB development, which collectively contributed approximately $300,000 in fees.

"We had a large increase in collections in FY25," reported Accounting Manager Jared Thulin. After accounting for encumbrances, approximately $500,000 remains available in the fund for future transportation capacity enhancements.

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The Transportation Fee Fund, established through city ordinance, requires new residential construction to pay $350 per dwelling unit and commercial construction to pay 3.5 cents per square foot of development area. The fees are designated exclusively for planning, designing, and constructing capacity enhancements to the city's transportation system.

Committee members emphasized the importance of maintaining visible progress on transportation improvements throughout the city, noting that the distributed approach to projects like full-depth repairs and crack sealing demonstrates effective use of taxpayer funds across multiple neighborhoods rather than concentrating resources on single large projects.

Crack sealing operations continue to make rapid progress throughout the city. The contractor has completed two miles of work on 19th Street and sections of Country Club, Western, and Duck streets using a coordinated 13-14 person crew with multiple specialized vehicles.

"They've got, I don't know, 13, 14 people as well as probably four or five vehicles. And it's just a moving, it's like a train going down the road," Millis observed of the efficient operation.

The crack sealing process involves multiple steps performed in sequence: cleaning joints, sawing or routing, blowing debris, sealing cracks, and applying a detack agent to prevent stickiness. The crew plans to continue work in neighborhoods, targeting Richmond Road west of Washington, areas near the high school, and older sections of town toward the hospital.

Committee members discussed the feasibility of performing crack sealing operations in-house but determined that contracted services remain more efficient. Staff estimated that an in-house operation would require six to seven personnel and specialized equipment for the complex multi-step process.

Downtown Flashing 4-Way Test Receiving Positive Feedback

The downtown intersection modifications at 7th, 8th, and 9th streets on Main continue to receive positive community feedback. The intersections currently operate with flashing lights rather than traditional traffic signals.

"I've had no lie, I've probably had more than 90% positive feedback," CIty Manager Brady Moore said. "I think I've had one and a half negative comments."

The committee discussed adding signage to clarify that the intersections function as four-way stops rather than broken traffic lights, addressing confusion among some residents.

Sidewalks, Rails to Trails and Monticello Projects Progress

Other ongoing projects include the Monticello reconstruction from University to Admiral, scheduled for substantial completion in mid-December. The project has faced some delays due to underground utility challenges and weather, but crews are working to minimize disruption to university operations as students return.

The committee also received updates on the Rails to Trails Phase II project, which will extend trail connectivity from 6th Avenue to McElroy. Staff continues working on scope development for the project, which will utilize Transportation Alternative grant funding from the state.

Sidewalk improvement requests continue to accumulate, with staff maintaining a comprehensive spreadsheet of citizen requests categorized by priority and scope. The fiscal year 2025 sidewalk design contract with Gose and Associates will address many of the higher-priority requests, with a kickoff meeting scheduled for early August.