OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Council approved a construction contract Tuesday for the next phase of MAPS 4 Bike Lanes, part of the $22 million allocated for bike facility improvements across the city.
Bike lane locations were selected based on the BikeWalkOKC plan, which identifies key connections and priorities for cyclists. This phase includes $2.3 million to construct 7.2 miles of bike lanes, creating east-to-west crosstown connections.
NW 16th/19th Street Project
A 7.2-mile bike lane will begin at the Lake Overholser Trail and travel east along NW 16th Street, then north on N. Tulsa Avenue to NW 19th Street, continuing east until ending at NW 18th Street and Indiana Avenue, just north of the Plaza District.
Construction will include Tier 1 and Tier 3 facilities, new bike lanes, and trail connections. The city uses different types of bike facilities, including protected bike lanes and multi-use trails (Tier 1), standard bike lanes (Tier 2), and shared routes or road shoulder facilities (Tier 3).
“These new bike lanes will create stronger networks of connections for cyclists, providing them with more convenient and safer ways to travel around the city,” MAPS Program Manager David Todd said. “Thanks to MAPS 4, this is a significant step toward enhancing mobility and advancing connectivity across the city.”
RCC Traffic was selected as the contractor for the NW 16th/19th Street project, with construction scheduled to begin later this spring.
Meanwhile, construction is already underway on new MAPS 4 bike lanes along the Classen Corridor between NW 63rd Street and Grand Boulevard, as well as on NW 16th Street between Walnut Avenue and N. Bryant Avenue.
For more information, visit okc.gov/maps4 or bit.ly/MAPS4Bikes.
About MAPS 4
MAPS 4 is a debt-free public improvement program funded by a temporary penny sales tax that will raise a projected $1.07 billion over eight years. Oklahoma City voters approved the sales tax to fund MAPS 4 in a special election on Dec. 10, 2019, moving forward with a unique and ambitious plan to transform our community.
The temporary penny sales tax funding MAPS 4 began April 1, 2020, and ends in 2028. More than 70 percent of MAPS 4 funding is dedicated to neighborhood and human needs. The rest is for quality of life and job-creating initiatives.
The MAPS 4 Citizens Advisory Board and its six subcommittees will guide MAPS 4 planning and implementation, making recommendations to the City Council. The Council has final authority on MAPS 4.
The MAPS Investment and Operating Trust developed a strategic investment plan to support long-term sustainable funding for MAPS 4 projects’ operational expenses and maintenance. Visit okc.gov/maps4 for more.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
