Council Agrees to Light at Four Way

There is a light at the end of Watonga’s tunnel. A stop light, that is.

City council, meeting in regular session Sept. 1. as the public works authority, discussed what, if anything, to do about the blinking light at the intersection of State Highway 3 and U.S. 281/270, commonly referred to as the four way.

The light has been blinking and traffic stopping in every direction, for longer than anyone can remember. The light was a regular red, yellow, green arrangement, but often malfunctioned and was changed to blinking red.

The city has been wrangling with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation about the light, how it should be configured and who should foot the bill. Last time the light was serviced, the cost to the city was more than $40,000 according to councilman Bill Seitter.

The city looked at a camera system but shied away from the cost of maintenance. Another system works off radar detection, is less susceptible to dust and dirt than the cameras and detects traffics, tripping the lights so that the oncoming vehicle can proceed if there is no other traffic.

ODOT is asking for a red-yellow-green configuration. An estimate from Midstate Traffic Control to install the new light came in at $38,250. There is no figure on how much maintenance will cost.

Council determined to ask ODOT to pay for the light and the city will maintain it. Council is in hopes the arrangement, if accepted by ODOT, will set a precedent on who owns and pays for what at the intersection. Drainage there has been an ongoing issue, but the state insists that although it installed the drainage, the city has to make it work properly, which has proved nearly impossible. With development of the Lucky Star Casino property south of the intersection, council believes other businesses will locate nearby, pushing the issue to a head sooner rather than later.

“We are stepping up, so they (ODOT) need to step up, too,” said council member Travis Bradt. “When the casino opens, we’re going to see a lot more development to the south. I just have a feeling it’s going to happen.”

Connie Burcham can be reached at Editor@WatongaRepublican.com