From The Files of The Seminole Producer

Cluttered Corner Building New S.H. 99 Road By Milt Phillips SEMINOLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL are demonstrating sound fiscal policy and a progressive attitude in working out the especially heavy financial problem of rebuilding SH99 into Seminole from the south. The total cost of right of way, utility removal and relocation is estimated at a figure close to $400,000. Utility removals and changes by the city and utility companies will reduce the actual dollar cost, but the actual outlay for the project, including “rounding” the Broadway crossing of SH99, run close to two-thirds of the estimated cost, highway officials indicated. The mayor and council set aside $35,000 of this first year’s federal revenue sharing and pledged to budget $35,000 of the nest two fiscal years’ revenue sharing income, making a total of $105,000 of the actual in-city-limits costs of rebuilding the SH99 highway through the city.

The Bowlegs-Seminole section of SH99 is the last major roadblock to making SH99 a federal highway, U.S. 377. Federal highway 377 now runs from Del Rio on the Mexican border through Ft. Worth-Dallas area to Madill, Oklahoma. When the Bowlegs- Seminole roadblock is removed, the U.S. 377 can be designated into Stroud and if the Oilton project goes as now scheduled, the federal designation will go into Cleveland and perhaps into Pawhuska and on into Kansas. Eventually SH99 would be a Federal Highway from Mexico to Canada. That was the dream of Dr. Grisso, Charley Johnston and other pioneer road builders of this area. Gradually that dream is coming true.

Seminole, like every city and town, has far more needs than it has resources to provide.

When the highway city funding was requested by Highway Commissioner Eugene Rainbolt, there were some who thought the federal revenue sharing funds should go to other things, such as street improvements, or new city buildings.

State law requires cities and towns to share right of way costs through such cities and towns for state highways. The federal government will not share in such right of way costs and the state and the city or town must provide all the funds for in city right of way.

Counties can help with their state road and highway funds, as Newt Harber did for Seminole on SH99 north from Strothers.

Providing city funding for highway improvements within a city is not just a policy of the highway department. It is state law. If there is no city or town participation, the state cannot build modern highways through incorporated towns or cities.

Because of this legal requirement, the building of SH 99 from Bowlegs north to Strother street depends upon whether the mayor and council is willing to share the in-city right of way costs. The mayor and council reiterated their agreement Monday evening at the special city council meeting.

These city officials do this in the face of many requests to use these funds for other things. Highway booster and those who have worked for the past 10-20 and even 40 years to upgrade and build SH 99 (originally SH 48) should take the time to give the mayor and council a pat on the back.

Recently at a dinner a local citizen criticized the spending of city funds on the SH 99 project within the city. We pointed out the state was paying far more than one-half the cost. It was evident this citizen was not looking very far ahead for the community and development of this area.

We recall at the hearing a couple of years or so ago in the Roosevelt cafeteria building, some local citizens urged widening of present SH 99 along the present route.

The highway engineers attending the hearing quoted estimates of costs showing the new highway will cost much less than rebuilding the old one to federal standards (qualifying for federal matching money).

Recently this question was again raised, pointing to the widening of the SH 99 area between Ada and the South Canadian bridge.

The Ada highway north to the bridge is similar to SH 99 north from Seminole to I-40. It does not run through any major community area such as Letha.

The Ada project which is similar to the Seminole project is the Alohso-Ada project on the south edge of Ada. That project is being constructed 4-lane now. Seminole’s project is providing 4-lane right of way but traffic counts require only two-lane paving now. As traffic picks up on SH 99, the area from Rock Island tracks to SH 59 west of Maud “Y” will be four laned by adding two more lanes.

That will match the SH 99 north from Strother to SH 9. The folks who now suggest rebuilding present SH 99 south should have been present at the Roosevelt school cafeteria hearing on the highway improvement.