Clusters of potholes that rattle and damage vehicles are being smoothed over in parts of the Piedmont city limits, and plans are being made for more pavement improvements.
Canadian County crews can help with agreements without cost to Piedmont, said Marc Hader, Commissioner District One.
Hader spoke to the Piedmont City Council members at a regular meeting Monday, July 26.
Council members are proposing specific areas across the city for fiscal year 2021-2022.
Hader has talked to Piedmont Public Works Director Doug Baustert about places of concern.
“The conversation that Doug and I had was about N.W. 234, N.W. 220 and N.W. 192.
City Councilwoman Melissa Ashford, Ward IV, asked Hader to pin down some exact areas.
Hader said the conversations had been “open-ended”
On Tuesday, Canadian County crews mixed cement in the roadway on N.W. 220/Ash Road between County Line and Mustang roads. People are advised to avoid the area while the work is being done.
City Councilman Jonathan Hisey, Ward IV, has stated he would like to see work on Mustang Road from N.W. 164 to N.W. 178; N.W. 164 from Mustang to Sara roads; N.W. 220/Ash Road from Piedmont to Sara roads; N.W. 192/Arrowhead Road from Cemetery to Richland; Morgan Road from N.W. 206 to N.W. 192; N.W. 206/Apache Road from Sara to County Line roads, as well as emergency repairs at various locations and Apache Road safety improvements.
Hisey said the culvert along Apache Road is dangerous.
Piedmont resident Robin Hocker, aka Chester The Clown, who owns Chester’s Party Barn, 5201 Cimarron Road, said most people who visit the party barn travel on Northwest Expressway to Cimarron Road and then go north to the barn. He said N.W. 192/Arrowhead Road, is a bumpy, hazardous road.
Hocker also said signs are needed to direct people to downtown Piedmont to help bring in more sales tax revenue. The pumpkin patch season is coming up and more people will be at the patch this year, Hocker said.
“Last year we were shut down like everybody else. Things have turned around quite a bit for us this year,” Hocker said. “Already for the last two months we have been getting reservations for large groups to come to our farm this fall for the pumpkin patch season. So this issue that I see that can be very challenging for a lot of our guests who come to our community, and that is N.W. 192 west of Piedmont Road back to Cimarron Road. We’ve had hundreds and hundreds of individuals out there so far this year.”
Hocker said he has taken about a dozens telephone calls from people who have complained about N.W. 192.
“They have almost had an accident or been run off the road and or had a collision with somebody else and I’m trying to avoid that, just the hazards in the road itself.
He said the number of visitors is increasing.
“”I’m going to have a 20% to 25% increase in the number of people coming to my farm at least I’m praying that way, and planning that way, so that is going to increase a tremendous amount of traffic on our road.”
Hocker said a lot of people also take N.W. 178/Edmond Road to the farm from the Edmond area.
“I just want to caution the city to say, ‘Hey guys, they are going to come, and there is a great opportunity for the city.”
Hocker asked for a sign at N.W. 192 and Cimarron Road that points to where downtown Piedmont is located.
Hocker said safety is the top concern.
“I don’t want to be responsible if someone gets hurt,” Hocker said. He said he read on social media someone wrecked recently on an area road.
“I don’t want that to happening,” Hocker said.
Piedmont public works crews have recently worked on Mustang Road near N.W. 178 and Sara Road near N.W. 220/Ash Road. Canadian County crews have helped with asphalt millings for trouble spots.
Areas under contract for repairs are Piedmont Road from N.W. 178/Edmond Road to N.W. 220/Ash Street; N.W. 164 between Piedmont and Mustang roads; County Line Road from N.W. 164/Washington Street to N.W. 178/Edmond Road; Van Buren Ave. N.W. From Stout Drive to Harrison Avenue; Tyler Avenue N.W. on Stout Drive, Monroe Avenue N.E. from Mustang Road to Moose Avenue and Van Buren Avenue N.E. from Mustang Road to Antelope Street. The council has authorized the city manager to spend up to $400,000 on emergency road repairs.
