Gray Street conversion to begin Monday

The City of Norman announced Thursday construction to convert Gray Street from a westbound one-way street to a two-way street will begin next week.

Construction will begin at Gray Street’s intersection with Porter Avenue Aug. 5. The project will span west to University Boulevard, and Norman Public Works expects construction to be completed in August 2025.

Work will be carried out by a contractor and administered through the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

Existing traffic signals will have to be reconfigured, as will the BNSF railroad crossing east of James Garner Avenue. Intersections will be widened, angled parking along the street will have to be modified and the road will be restriped.

In addition, the project will include new streetscaping. Twenty-seven new LED light fixtures will be installed, along with new trash cans and benches, according to a press release from the city.

Each intersection will feature new landscaping, and a landscaped island at the railroad crossing will also be installed.

According to the document provided by the city, the project will cost $5,300,000 and will be funded through the City’s 2019 Transportation Bond Program, which includes $72 million in infrastructure and transit improvements.

Norman voters approved the bond in 2019 with 66.3% of the vote.