As the city of Oklahoma City moves the needle on many of the $1.1 billion in MAPS 4 projects this summer, it’s also preparing a $2.7 billion bond package for infrastructure maintenance, expected to be on a special election ballot this fall.
There are some similarities between the two. Both MAPS 4 and the general obligation (GO) bond include city infrastructure projects, but MAPS 4 also invests in projects that create jobs or provide social services or improve quality of life.
“The baseball arena’s changed downtown, and Palomar changes people’s lives. The Diversion Hub changes people’s lives,” Oklahoma City Public Information Officer Kristy Yager said of MAPS projects. “The 2025 bond is more meat and potatoes. It’s taking care of our infrastructure.”
What happens next with both? On July 15, the city council will vote on final approval of the GO bond proposal. If approved, city residents will be able to vote on the 11 types of projects in an Oct. 14 special election.
Also this month, the MAPS 4 pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Oklahoma River at Interstate 40 and Eastern Avenue will open, linking the south shore bike trail with the Greenway River Trail on the north side of the river.
No matter how closely you follow city projects, when projects number in the hundreds and costs add up in the billions, it’s a lot to keep up with. Keep reading to get up to speed on both of these major programs.
GO bond
In addition to the projects mentioned above, the GO bond includes funding for police and fire facilities, public transit, economic and community development and libraries.
To put together the bond package, the city asked residents to submit suggestions for infrastructure improvements and weigh in on their top priorities. Residents submitted 6,030 ideas. The city also reviewed projects citizens had previously called in to request or that work crews saw around the city, then selected the most high-priority projects that could be completed with the bond.
“With 621 square miles, we have a lot of infrastructure that we’re responsible for maintaining,” said Public Works Director Debbie Miller in a June presentation to the city council.
The GO bond is the successor of the Better Streets, Safer City bond package voters approved in 2017. By funding these infrastructure projects through bonds, the city is able to complete them without raising property taxes.
Half of the bond — $1.35 million — is earmarked for 382 projects for city streets, including resurfacing and widening of streets, sidewalks and other street enhancements. Other critical infrastructure will be improved, including drainage projects in areas that often flood, bridge maintenance and updates to city buildings.
According to Miller, the project list includes:
–more than 150 miles of sidewalks, with the focus on access to schools, parks and commercial areas
–maintenance of 25 bridges
–44 drainage projects to alleviate areas of frequent flooding
–four facilities for municipal courts, family justice and police, including a new police lab and parking that can be used by Civic Center Music Hall ticket holders after business hours
–work on 7 Oklahoma City Fire Department buildings, including 4 new stations and completion of the Public Safety Training Center
–maintenance and renovation of 17 city buildings
–3 transit projects, including a bus fleet operations center
It’s likely that the city council will approve the final GO bond proposal in its July 15 vote. After that, the city will launch a new page at vision.okc.gov where people can view the selected projects before the fall election. Residents will also be able to learn more in ward-based information meetings.
MAPS 4 update
On the MAPS 4 side, the city council approved the master plan for beautification in May, and in June, officials celebrated the completion of the first fully completed project: a new coliseum at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds.
City officials and community leaders joined for a celebratory ribbon cutting for OG&E Coliseum on June 12. The coliseum replaces the more than 60-year-old Jim Norick Arena; demolition begins in August.
Like the old arena, the coliseum will be home to the state basketball championships, concerts and horse shows, but the updated facilities should also help maintain the city’s bragging rights as the horse show capital of the world as well as help maintain long-term event partners.
“It represents our busiest venue and largest economic driver,” Mayor David Holt said at the ceremony. “This is busy 52 weeks a year. It’s virtually all visitors.”
In the Innovation District, phase 1 of a project to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety will wrap up in September, according to MAPS Program Manager David Todd. It includes traffic monitoring and pedestrian signals, improvements to make sidewalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and a protected bike lane. In addition, a new facility for the Henrietta B. Foster Center is in design and will be completed in 2027. The new center will focus on minority small business ownership and entrepreneurship.
And this fall, the first phase of affordable housing for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness will open, providing 37 housing units near NW 122nd Street and Dorset Drive. Another 33 units will be built in phase 2 of the Dorset Place project.
The city has broken ground on Diversion Hub, set to open in spring 2026. Diversion Hub serves families impacted by the criminal justice system and works to reduce recidivism among inmates. The new building will more than triple the size of space and serve as the permanent home of the hub and provide space for partner agencies.
In January 2027, work on the Louisa McCune Animal Welfare Center should be complete.
The MAPS 4 Family Justice Center to be operated by Palomar will wrap up in spring 2027. The Family Justice Center will allow the expansion of Palomar’s services to those affected by domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, human trafficking, elder abuse and stalking.
Work on MAPS 4’s 95 projects is funded by a penny sales tax that ends in 2028, but implementation will continue into 2032, Todd told Oklahoma Gazette.
“When these projects are built, they’re paid for,” Todd said. “We’re always concerned about inflation and what that’s doing, but we continue to design to budget and provide good projects.”
Several other projects have moved into the design phase, including:
–a multipurpose stadium
–Clara Luper Civil Rights Center
–Mental Health Crisis Center and Mental Health Restoration Center
–parks projects
– one of four youth centers
For more information on the projects, visit okc.gov/maps4.
This article appears in City crowned.