CLAREMORE, Okla. — The Claremore City Council has decided how to spend the city’s one-cent sales tax money that voters approved last year.
The plan was always to spend it on infrastructure, and now citizens will know exactly where the money will be spent and how much each project will get.
The City says roughly $26 million will go to electrical system improvements, $17.4 million will go to streets, $13 million has been allocated for water system upgrades, $10 million has been earmarked for sewer systems improvements, and $7.8 million will be used for stormwater and drainage projects.
The grand total is more than $75 million.
The City says street work will start right away and the other projects will happen in phases over 3 to 4 years.
The City provided a detailed breakdown of all the various projects:
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Electric Utility ($26+ Million) – Design is underway for electrical improvements outlined in the city’s master plan to accommodate growing power demands and expand system capacity. These improvements are part of the city’s long-term infrastructure planning and are not associated with any industrial projects. The city will invest more than $26 million to construct a brand-new Substation #6, expand capacity at Substation #1, and complete all capital improvements outlined in the electric utility master plan. Funding also provides for a citywide Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) electric metering system and comprehensive field installation.
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Streets & Transportation ($17.4 Million) – Work begins immediately on key improvements including road construction on Frederick Road, intersection improvements at Blue Starr/Sioux and Will Rogers/J.M. Davis, final design work for the Archer/Holly/Brady intersection and Phase 1 of Muskogee Avenue. The 48-month project also includes general roadway resurfacing and rehabilitation citywide.
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Water System Improvements ($13 Million) – Slated for completion over the next 36 months, investments include an AMI water metering system, engineering and design for a lake dam raw water intake replacement and critical water line replacements beneath Highway 66 (starting at 7th Street) and along Will Rogers Boulevard from 1st to 5th Street.
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Sanitary Sewer System ($10 Million) – Sewer improvements include Phase 2 of the Valley View sewer line replacement, line replacements in Stonegate and sewer rehabilitation in Original Town. Over the 36-month project, the city will also complete design and permitting for future wastewater treatment plant expansions and a new sewer line for the east side of town. These upgrades allow the city to decommission outdated systems, saving taxpayers millions of dollars over the lifespan of the system.
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Stormwater & Drainage ($7.8 Million) – Stormwater funding will upgrade drainage networks to better manage heavy rainfall events. Projects include the Industrial Avenue/Jay drainage improvements, storm drain rehabilitation along Muskogee, Weenonah, and Chickasaw and Phase 1 rehabilitation of the historic downtown storm tunnel. These projects are expected to be completed in approximately 36 months.
