Rivalry Between Yukon and Mustang Hits the Streets

Leaders in Yukon want control over some Oklahoma City roads. They say it's a maintenance issue, but it's also an issue of community pride.

Tuesday, October 12th 2010, 10:40 pm

By: News 9


By Colleen Chen, News 9

YUKON, Oklahoma -- Leaders in Yukon want control over some Oklahoma City roads. They say it's a maintenance issue, but it's also an issue of community pride.

This is the last season the Yukon Millers will play in their current stadium. Next year, they will move to a brand new state of the art high school and stadium. The new Yukon High School is located on Mustang Road.

The Mustang Broncos are Yukon's biggest rival.

The team is excited about winning 42-28 over the Mustang Broncos earlier this year, but hopes they don't end up going to a school where Mustang leads the way in.

"I hope they can get that fixed. It's a big deal you know," said head coach Todd Wilson.

The hope for a road name change is part of a bigger roads issue in Yukon.

"Half are in Oklahoma City. Half are in Yukon," said city manager Jim Crosby. The two cities split responsibility over a number of roads that border the two areas.

"In the past there have been problems. Either we've got money and they don't or they've got money and we don't. You can't maintain half a road," Crosby added. That's why city leaders are asking for more rights over roadways.

Have them deannex just the right of way and we'll adopt it. That way we can maintain the whole road," said Crosby.

He said it will allow Yukon workers to better maintain roads, traffic lights, speed limits. The move would also give Yukon City Council members the ability to change a road name. That's what school leaders are focused on. They're hoping for a name change before the new high school opens in 2011.

Yukon's City Manager is submitting a request to Oklahoma City's planning department to start the deannexation process. The request is for 10th Street from a half mile west of Garth Brooks to Mustang Road and Mustang Road from 10th Street all the way through Yukon.

If Oklahoma City's planning department and council agree, Yukon's city council will then have to consider the name change issue.

"They' like to see that named Yukon Parkway," Crosby said of school officials.

Coach Wilson says he'd be happy with just about anything besides the current name. "Absolutely, Yukon, any other way we can make it work, but we definitely need to lose the Mustang."

In order to start the process, Yukon needed 50 percent of property owners in the area to agree. They counted 70 percent this week and filed a request with the Oklahoma City Planning Department. Yukon leaders say the request to Oklahoma City is a first step. Crosby thinks the fastest a change will happen is in three months.

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