Durant City Council, in a meeting last week, approved a proposal for the police department to lease 14 vehicles from Classic Chevrolet in Denison, Texas.
The lease will be $2,625 per month for 48 months or $2,170 per month for 60 months. Classic Chevrolet will provide free oil changes during the duration of the lease. Lt. Chris Marcy said this proposal addresses the department’s aging fleet and that the department has funds set aside for the lease.
The council also approved a final plat and rezoning request for a Casey’s fuel station and convenience store to be built on North First Avenue near Gerlach Drive. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has roadway improvements planned at First and Gerlach that will include a traffic light, widening the road and a dedicated turn lane. The contract for the project will be let this month, and offi cials think Casey’s probably will not be open until the road project is finished.
Carson Veenstra, a 2026 Durant High School graduate and resident of nearby Country Estates, spoke to the council about his concerns on traffic congestion from when he was in high school.
“I know somebody coming from the other side of First Street trying to turn into the high school, let’s say it’s an early morning,” Veenstra said. “I’ve heard people waiting 10 to 15 minutes just to make a left-hand turn and I know that we don’t have a stop sign, or a stop light currently.
“We assume that the building will be built before the stop sign is there. I believe this road is already one of the highest traffic densities in the town of Durant, Oklahoma, and I guess I beg the question of why should we add something here at such a highly congested spot literally at the epicenter of such a congested point when there is plenty of space around town that is available and so that’s my only question. I just think it may need to be questioned more, possibly. I didn’t hear enough information for me to calm my concerns about the traffic in that area.”
City manager Pam Polk thanked Veenstra for speaking.
“Businesses want to be in high-traffic areas,” Polk said. “That’s where they go.”
Asking to speak again, Veenstra agreed and he said, “Absolutely.”
“I guess it wouldn’t congest too much since we’re out of school right now, but even in this high-traffic area, I don’t know,” Veenstra said. “At least let’s say somebody’s coming from the other side of town through Gerlach. That might add congestion just on that point with or without a stop light or sign.”
Veenstra said he expects many from his neighborhood to buy gasoline at Casey’s.
“We are closer to that gas station than any other gas station in town,” Veenstra said. “It might very well lead to being a hot destination to an already congested zone and again, that’s my worry, with or without a traffic light, with or without a dedicated turn lane, it will increase traffic.”
