Muskogee County

PROJECT PURPOSE

Muskogee County and the City of Oktaha have partnered in a collaborative project to replace two concrete culverts and street crossings that are essential for commercial and residential access for Oktaha residents. This project would also repair sidewalks and streets as well as the drainage ditches connected to these culverts. This project is especially vital for student and family access to the rural Oktaha school. The culverts, adjacent sidewalks and roads have suffered severe deterioration from flooding that occurs at the slightest rain, which prevents passenger vehicle and pedestrian access for residents of the city and prohibits school bus and commercial vehicle entrance. Most important, this infrastructure issue creates safety problems for school families and residents. The County of Muskogee has committed $120,000 to assist the Town of Oktaha with this project and requests a match of $120,000 from state ARPA funds.

EVIDENCE

The culverts, sidewalks and streets for this project are over 80 years old, dating to a WPA project in the 1930s. The disrepair of these culverts, sidewalks and streets negatively impacts the school, residents, businesses, and city operations.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

The Town of Oktaha is a central location in Muskogee County because of its K-12 school that draws some 350 students from rural portions of Muskogee County. The Town of Oktaha has a poverty rate of 19% and is USDA grant eligible due to its economic and demographic composition. Muskogee County (67,000) has been designated as a StrikeZone by the USDA because of its high poverty rate (21%) and its many economic disparities and challenges. Muskogee is a poor, diverse and rural population that has been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic due to restricted access to health services and socioeconomic challenges resulting from inadequate infrastructure, limited economic development opportunities, inconsistent broadband access, and access to employment. In addition to chronic poverty, other vulnerable populations include the elderly, children, and minorities. A study by the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America released in Jan. 2021 revealed that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural populations have been severe, with significant negative impacts on unemployment, overall life satisfaction, mental health, and economic outlook. Often rural residents have fewer individual resources, access to services and, on average, are poorer and less educated.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Project performance for culvert replacement to mitigate water flooding and repair the sidewalk and streets because of flooding for the Town of Oktaha will be measured by the completion of the project according to schedule and within the established budget.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding