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CONTRACT NO. K-1213-163: A CONTRACT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AND GARVER L.L.C., IN THE AMOUNT OF $79,975 TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR STREET WIDENING IMPROVEMENTS AND REPLACEMENT OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT THE 12TH AVENUE N.E. AND HIGH MEADOWS DRIVE INTERSECTION AND BUDGET TRANSFER.
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BACKGROUND: The intersection of 12th Avenue NE and High Meadows Drive was signalized in 1993, but without roadway improvements to provide a left turn on 12th Avenue NE onto High Meadows Drive. This intersection is located on 12th Avenue NE (U.S. Highway 77) north of Robinson Street. High Meadows Drive provides access to Eisenhower Elementary School and surrounding residential neighborhoods. The increasing volume of traffic and the resulting increase of accidents have exposed the need for a dedicated turn lane and new traffic signals at this intersection. An aerial photo of this area is included as an attachment.
Installing the southbound left turn lane will require widening of the existing four-lane section at the intersection. This project also provides the opportunity for the City to upgrade the signal interconnect system along 12th Avenue NE with fiber optic cable (between Robinson Street and Rock Creek Road).
This section of 12th Avenue NE in Norman also serves as U.S. Highway 77. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) maintains jurisdiction over maintenance and improvements to the highway. However, 12th Avenue NE also serves as a major arterial street in Norman and intersects with many other city streets. While the City is responsible for the design of intersection signalization projects on 12th Avenue NE, any future construction costs must be coordinated and negotiated with ODOT.
DESCRIPTION: The Public Works Department prepared a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit the engineering services necessary to evaluate traffic flow in the area and to develop street improvement and traffic signal replacement plans. The intersection at 12th Avenue NE and High Meadows Drive was one of four separate intersection projects in RFP 1213-54. Eleven proposals were submitted for consideration of this project. A Selection Committee was formed consisting of Angelo Lombardo, Transportation Engineer; Rick Schlechter, Storm Water Engineer; Michael Rayburn, Capital Projects Engineer; and two citizens (Mr. Jim Rose, a retired ODOT engineer, and Mr. Kyle Hamburger, a concerned area resident). The proposals were reviewed, and Garver LLC, a regional engineering company with offices in Norman, was selected as the best-suited firm for the project.
Garver LLC proposes a $79,975 contract fee to provide the previously mentioned design services. The Council Finance Committee, during their meeting of October 17, 2012, directed staff to expedite the readiness of this project by making available unused funds from the fiscal year 2012-2013 budget. At the Council Finance Committee meeting, staff estimated a cost of $70,000 for the design of this project. The cost to construct this project in the future could approach $1,000,000.
If approved by Council, Garver LLC will begin work on the project immediately. With future funding from ODOT and the City, this project could be constructed in less than 12 months from the bid-letting date.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of Contract K-1213-163 with Garver LLC in the amount of $79,975, for the development of construction plans for street widening improvements and replacement traffic signals at the 12th Avenue NE and High Meadows Drive intersection. Staff is also recommending $79,975 be transferred from Cedar Lane Widening, Land (050-9079-431.60-01, Project TR0235) to 12th Avenue NE & High Meadows Drive Intersection, Design (account 050-9079-431.62-01; Project TR0051).