🔍 Investigative Report: Stormwater Challenges Loom Over Wagoner’s Highway Revamp
Wagoner, Oklahoma — The long-awaited repaving of State Hwy 51 has finally commenced, bringing hope to residents and local businesses. However, beneath the surface of fresh asphalt lies a web of stormwater challenges that demand urgent attention.
The Crowned Road: A Solution or a Mirage?
The new road, elevated with a crown in the middle, aims to mitigate stormwater issues along its path. But as the bulldozers roll in, citizens raise critical questions: What about the driveways that have long suffered from flooding? How will the city prevent water from inundating local properties?
The Old Storm Drains: A Drowning Legacy
The storm drains, once reliable conduits for rainwater, now face obsolescence. To accommodate the raised highway, these aging structures must be cut out and replaced. But where is the City of Wagoner’s comprehensive plan for this crucial transition? Are the stormwater engineers prepared to tackle this Herculean task?
Potholes and Easements: A Bumpy Ride Ahead
Asphalt patches and potholes within city easements add to the woes. Residents fear that the new road will merely gloss over existing problems. Will the freshly paved highway mask the underlying infrastructure issues, leaving citizens to navigate a bumpy ride?
Ditches Overflowing: A Deluge of Concerns
The ditches, once capable of channeling stormwater, now struggle to cope. Their capacity diminished, they threaten to spill over onto adjacent properties. What measures will the city take to reinforce these vital drainage channels?
The RAISE Grant: A Missed Opportunity?
The RAISE grant, earmarked as providing a path to the only local grocery store, was really meant to address multiple issues. From Dunbar to the civic center and down past Walmart into Coal Creek, it silently promised relief of major stormwater issues that the City of Wagoner was unable to fund. But a change in administration realized the deviancy and clear intention of the original plan which has put the new stormwater project on hold. The proposed underpass to Walmart now seems like a mirage of dastardly promises made by a former administration that practiced deception as a standard for getting things done. Where does this leave the citizens who hoped for lasting solutions?
Missing Contingency Plans: A City Adrift
The absence of contingency plans raises eyebrows. Street Commissioner Dwayne Elam, Street Supervisor Thomas Applegate, and Stormwater Supervisor Jeff Bemo—all entrusted with safeguarding the city’s future—appear unprepared. Elam’s consistent distractions of serving two roles with zero clear goals in mind tend to lead to peculiar distractions on his part and lack of serious conversations that need to happen. Several days of what could be a productive time of the month are spent in a city vehicle going to various board meetings that are clearly not meant to help the City of Wagoner progress. Applegate’s destroyed marriage and current entanglement with the library director has clearly caused issues with his concentration on his real job duties. Meanwhile, Bemo chauffeurs an elderly former mayor, leaving stormwater concerns adrift.
Where Is the Focus?
As the asphalt machines hum, Wagoner awaits its miracle. But without a clear roadmap, the city risks repeating old mistakes. Citizens deserve answers. Where is the focus of those hired to ensure Wagoner’s prosperity? Perhaps it’s time for the citizens to stand up and demand better—a gathering of minds to chart a course toward resilience.
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