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RESOLUTION R-1920-27: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, APPROPRIATING $6,741.91 FROM THE MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES/REIMBURSEMENTS/REFUNDS ACCOUNT TO REIMBURSE THE CITY OF NORMAN FOR UPFRONTING THE TOTAL COST OF THE VIDEO DETECTION SYSTEM TO ACCOMMODATE THE TRAFFIC CHANGES MADE BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA THAT AFFECT THE INTERSECTION OF JENKINS AVENUE AND FELGAR STREET.
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BACKGROUND: In May of 2019, staff from the University of Oklahoma (OU) contacted City staff to request assistance with modifications to Felgar Street, between Asp Avenue and Jenkins Avenue (a University owned and maintained street in the Campus area). The changes in question, which were targeted for completion before the beginning of the 2019 Fall semester, involved the conversion of Felgar Street from a one-way street in the eastbound direction to a two-way street, the removal of on-street parallel parking, the addition of bicycle lanes and the modification of the traffic signal at the Jenkins Avenue intersection.
The traffic signal at the intersection of Jenkins Avenue and Felgar Street is owned and maintained by the City of Norman. OU’s specific request was for the City to upgrade the traffic signal with a new vehicle detection system capable of detecting the presence of bicyclists.
DISCUSSION: At the time of the original request, this intersection was controlled with in-pavement detection loops. This technology is not easily adaptable to accommodate the change in flow from one-way to two-way traffic and ineffective for the detection of bicycles in bicycle lanes. City staff recommended video detection and secured quotes for the purchase of the equipment. OU staff agreed to fund half of the cost, or $6,741.91.
In light of OU’s desire to complete the work before the beginning of the Fall 2019 semester, and knowing that it typically takes six to eight weeks to secure the equipment, City staff accelerated the acquisition process by purchasing the new video system before receiving OU’s share of the cost. This purchase was done using funds from Traffic Signal Parts (010-5023-429.32-12) for 100% of the cost. The equipment was received in late July of 2019 and installed the following week. The OU share was received on August 7, 2019 and was deposited into Miscellaneous Revenues/ Reimbursements/Refunds (050-0000-366.12-51).
The cost to replace the Jenkins Avenue and Felgar Street traffic signal detection system was not included in the FYE 2020 budget. The equipment was purchased using funds reserved for the acquisition of the traffic signal parts used in the City’s traffic signal preventive maintenance program. Therefore, in order to replenish the account and maintain an adequate funding level in the Traffic Signal Parts account, it will be necessary that the funds received from OU be appropriated to the Division’s operating budget.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the approval of Resolution R-1920-27 for the appropriation of $6,741.91 from Miscellaneous Revenues/Reimbursements/Refunds (050-0000-366.12-51) to Traffic Signal Parts (010-5023-429.32-12). These funds will be used to offset previous allocation from the Traffic Signal Parts account to fund the cost of the entire video detection system necessary to accommodate the traffic changes made by OU that affect the intersection of Jenkins Avenue and Felgar Street.