Grants could smooth road

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A vehicle hits a rough spot on Wainwright Road, about two miles west of U.S. 69. Muskogee County and the Eastern Oklahoma Development District are seeking funds through the Rural Economic Action Plan to resurface the road. Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding

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November 6, 2011

Roads, other projects considered for funding

By Cathy Spaulding Phoenix Staff Writer The Muskogee Phoenix Sun Nov 06, 2011, 01:48 AM CDT

— Bumpy Wainwright Road soon could be resurfaced, and emergency services could find rural county addresses if the state releases funding for grant requests.

The Eastern Oklahoma Development District has applied for grants from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to fund 59 projects through the Rural Economic Action Plan. EODD Executive Director Ernie Moore said this year’s funding for the EODD area was just more than $1.1 million. The REAP program was developed to help match Community Development Block Grant funds dollar for dollar. Each sub-state planning district, such as the EODD, receives and ranks each application when it makes its request. The Oklahoma Legislature created REAP in 1996 to fund projects in communities with fewer than 7,000 people. Moore said the requests come from counties, cities, water districts or other entities in the seven counties EODD serves — Muskogee, Cherokee, McIntosh, Wagoner, Sequoyah, Adair and Okmulgee counties.

Muskogee County Commissioners voted last week to apply for REAP grants to fund resurfacing several county roads, including Wainwright Road west of U.S. 69. The county also is seeking REAP grants for a tractor and street signs to help E-911 responders find addresses of people who call the emergency line. The grant request for the E-911 signs was $13,000.

Commission Chairman Gene Wallace said Wainwright Road is a major connector street between U.S. 69 and U.S. 62. He said the county is seeking REAP funds to chip-seal between nine and 11 miles of the road.

“The road is in moderate to rough condition,” Wallace said, adding that he expects work on the project to start next spring.

Wallace said the county is expecting about $20,000 in REAP funding, although the project itself could cost about $150,000. The remaining money would come from the county’s general fund, he said.

Several Muskogee area communities are seeking help with water projects, the EODD list indicated.

• The town of Fort Gibson is seeking $18,000 to rehabilitate water clarifiers at its treatment facility.

• Taft seeks $25,000 for water meters and a water line.

• Boynton seeks $20,000 for water system improvements.

• Oktaha seeks $23,000 for sewer pump station improvements.

Other area projects on the list:

• Cherokee County is seeking $87,000 for bridge replacement on a county road.

• McIntosh County seeks $26,000 to add street signs for E-911 responders.

• Checotah seeks $20,000 for back-up generators for its water system.

• Eufaula seeks $20,000 to add to a fire station.

• Okay seeks $18,000 to improve its sanitary sewer system.

• Porter seeks $15,000 for a backhoe and trailer.

Moore said he well send notices to grant recipients this week.

“Funds will be requested from the ODOC and funds will be released for the recipients to proceed.” Moore said, adding that he expects some initial funding to be available by January.

Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogee phoenix.com.

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