Edmond expects more growth

12.01.2005
by Greg Elwell, The Oklahoman

EDMOND - City officials expressed confidence Monday that Edmond would grow beyond expectations at a Transportation Master Plan workshop.

Some members of the Edmond City Council said estimates of 1.1 percent annual job growth in the city might need to be raised when they met with C.H. Guernsey & Co. representatives to discuss the plan.

The Master Transportation Plan created by Guernsey will define the city's traffic and road construction goals through 2030, according to a press release from the city. The city hired the company in April.

Mayor Saundra Naifeh said she thinks the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments' projections might be low in light of expected industry growth from the construction of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Forensic Science Center on Second Street.

"Those numbers don't meet our goals," she said. "When we set goals, they tend to happen."

According to association numbers, Edmond's estimated jobs in 2030 will be 37,133 with a residential population of 112,850.

Councilman Charles Lamb said the numbers should be based not just on historical data, but also on job growth that will be generated by attempts to lure new business.

Guernsey representative Karl Stickley said an increase would be possible in the calculations, but that researchers would need direction as to where the council expects growth.

Stickley also asked for input on limitations where roads could not be widened or where future construction might interrupt traffic and what level of traffic was acceptable to the council.

Naifeh said the city would strive to retain as much green space as possible and Lamb said he'd like to see a limit to expansion on Broadway Extension and a redirection of traffic to other roads.

Acceptable traffic levels will drive many recommendations, Stickley said. To give the city wait-free traffic, a lot of work and massive expansion are needed. Even then, minor traffic delays could still happen.

Lamb said moderate traffic is fine and that a 45-second wait at lights during rush hour would probably be acceptable to most drivers.