City of Yukon approves bond election for street improvements

YUKON, Okla. (KFOR) - Yukon City Council has approved a special bond election to determine whether to accept an annual property tax for street and sidewalk improvements.

According to the City of Yukon, the special bond election is set for February 14, 2023, to decide on an annual property tax to fund street and sidewalk improvements that Yukon's normal operating budget cannot cover.

The City of Yukon says the bond will fund the following:

1. Reconstructing, replacing concrete panels, engineering and providing improvements to Wagner Road from Yukon Parkway to Sara Road.
2. Replacing concrete panels, rehabilitating asphalt surface, engineering and providing improvements to Holly Avenue from Poplar Avenue to NW 10^th Street.
3. Rehabilitating asphalt surface, engineering and providing improvements to Garth Brooks Boulevard from Vandament Avenue to Main Street.
4. Reconstructing, replacing concrete panels, engineering and providing improvements to Yukon Parkway from SH-66 to Wagner Road.
5. Reconstructing, engineering and providing improvements to 5th Street from Main Street to Poplar Avenue.
6. Reconstructing, engineering and providing improvements to the Cornwell Drive/NW 10th Street intersection.
7. Reconstructing, engineering and providing improvements to the Garth Brooks Boulevard/NW 10th Street intersection.
8. Widening, rehabilitating, engineering and providing improvements to Garth Brooks Boulevard from NW 10 Street to Eastbound I-40 Ramps.
9. Widening, rehabilitating, engineering and providing improvements to Garth Brooks from Westbound I-40 Ramps to Vandament Avenue.
10. Improving pedestrian access, engineering and providing improvements to the Yukon Parkway/Ranchwood Boulevard intersection.
11. Reconstructing, engineering and providing improvements to the Yukon Parkway/Vandament Avenue intersection.
12. Reconstructing, engineering and providing improvements to 4th Street from Main Street to Oak Avenue.
13. Reconstructing, engineering and providing improvements to Spruce Drive from Cornwell to Bass Avenue.
14. Reconstructing, engineering and providing improvements to 1st Street from Oak Avenue to Vandament Avenue.
15. Replacing concrete panels, engineering and providing improvements to Kingston Drive from Holly Avenue to Kingston Place.
16. Reconstructing, engineering and providing improvements to 3rd Street from Poplar Avenue to Yukon Avenue.
17. Reconstructing, engineering and providing improvements to 3rd Street from Main Street to Oak Avenue.

According to officials, the City chose the projects after the consideration of the community through a survey and town-hall style meetings. The results were handed over to a Capital Projects Advisory Board, consisting of residents and business owners, who then studied the projects further.

Yukon says the improvements' total cost is $37,500,000. Most of the City's operating budget is allocated to day to day operations like utilities, public safety and quality of life. The amount provided for large projects is not sustainable in the operating budget without interfering with basic city services.

If approved, annual property tax will increase. For example, the City says a $100,000 home would result in an estimated $10 per month property tax increase; a $200,000 home would see an estimated $20 per month property tax increase; and so forth.

For more information regarding these projects, visit the City of Yukon's website.

For more information on voting, visit the State Election Board website.