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RESOLUTION NO. R-1213-149: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, APPROPRIATING $6,000 FROM THE CAPITAL FUND BALANCE FOR IRRIGATION SYSTEM REPLACEMENT IN THE LANDSCAPED MEDIAN ON WEST MAIN STREET BETWEEN MERKLE DRIVE AND COLLIER DRIVE.
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BACKGROUND: The 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) allocates approximately $15 Million in Federal funds per year for the implementation of eligible transportation improvements in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Ten percent of this appropriation is used to fund safety projects at 100% of their construction cost.
Roadway lighting improvements along federal functionally classified roads are eligible for 100% federal funding. On February 23, 2010, City Council approved Resolution R-0910-89, which was forwarded to both the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), requesting federal funds to pay for 100% of the construction cost of a project that upgrades the roadway lighting system on West Main Street. In the resolution the City agrees to the terms and conditions of a federally funded project by stating its willingness to assume the responsibility for the preparation of engineering plans, the purchase of any additional right-of-way, the relocation of public utilities and funding of the local share of the construction cost, which normally is 20% but for this safety project will be 0%. The project was submitted for consideration and was included in the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments' (ACOG) 2011 Regional Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).
On October 26, 2010, City Council approved Contract K-1011-84 with Bucher, Willis & Ratliff Corporation (a.k.a. H. W. Lochner) for design and preparation of construction plans.
ODOT opened bids on March 22, 2012 and the Oklahoma Transportation Commission awarded the low bid, in the amount of $1,083,917, to Midstate Traffic Control Company of Oklahoma City on April 2, 2012. Construction began on July 19, 2012 and was substantially completed on January 11, 2013.
The project replaced antiquated street lights and poles originally installed in the 1950's. The new system features green technology that uses light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, new concrete poles, full cut-off fixtures and underground wiring. The system complies with the City's recently adopted Lighting Ordinance even though the Ordinance does not directly apply to streetlights. The upgrade is anticipated to save the City approximately $25,000 per year in operating cost due to lower electrical demand of the LED technology compared to the previous mercury vapor lamps. Design standards were developed in cooperation with Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E) staff, who agreed to provide future maintenance of the system as part of the City's current street lighting contract. Federal funds were used to pay for 100% of the construction cost.
DISCUSSION: The installation of the new street light footings and underground conduit in the landscaped median on West Main Street between Merkle Drive and Collier Drive required the contractor to displace part of the City-owned irrigation system used to water the landscaped areas. In order to re-establish the system, new drip lines and segments of PVC pipe will need to be installed. The estimated cost of the work is $6,000. The City Parks Department maintains these landscaped areas including the irrigation system, but, their current budget is not adequate to fund the replacement cost.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that an appropriation in the amount of $6,000 be made from the City's Capital Fund Balance (account 050-0000-253.20-00) to Main Street Roadway Lighting, Construction (account 050-9081-431.61-01; project TR-0075) for the replacement of the irrigation system in the landscaped median of Main Street from west of Merkle Drive to Collier Drive.
These costs are not reimbursable through the federal grant because the project's Right-of-Way, Public Utility, and Encroachment agreement approved by Council on October 11, 2011 (Contract K-1112-58 with ODOT) requires the City to fund the relocation of all utilities in conflict with the construction, which includes irrigation systems in the public right-of-way.