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EASEMENT E-1516-26: CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF A PERMANENT UTILITY EASEMENT FROM BMF INVESTMENTS, L.L.C., IN THE AMOUNT OF $500 FOR THE WEST MAIN STREET BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
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BACKGROUND: The existing West Main Street Bridge over Brookhaven Creek, located between 36th Avenue S.W. and 48th Avenue S.W., was constructed in 1972 using 2 10-foot metal arch pipes. This bridge is identified in the City’s adopted Storm Water Master Plan as being “hydraulically deficient”. This means it is unable to convey a ten-year storm or a storm that has the likelihood of occurring 10 percent of the time. This deficiency likely caused the bridge to sustain serious damage in the flood of August 19, 2007. City crews made temporary emergency repairs at that time to keep the bridge in service. The City’s current standards require structures of this type to convey a 50 year storm frequency or a storm that occurs two percent of the time.
On January 27, 2009, the Norman City Council approved programming Resolution R-0809-96 requesting federal funds to replace the bridge and roadway approaches on West Main Street. On August 11, 2009, City Council approved contract K-0910-56 with Garver, LLC for the preliminary engineering design of this project. On June 11, 2010, Council approved Amendment No. 1 with Garver, LLC. for the final design of this project. On December 31, 2012, Council approved Amendment No. 2 modifying the design of the creek improvements which reduced the number of mobile homes relocations from nine to two.
On August 28, 2012, Norman voters approved a General Obligation Bond Issue for eight major transportation/storm water projects throughout Norman in the amount of $42.5 million dollars. The West Main Street Bridge Project is one of those eight infrastructure projects. The total estimated cost of the project is $5,624,000 of which federal funds will pay $3,661,000 or 65%.
On April 22, 2014, Council approved Contract K-1314-137, a Right of Way, Utility and Encroachment agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT). This agreement stipulates that the City will acquire all right-of-way required for the project, grant ODOT access to and the use of the right-of-way for this project, relocate all utilities and encroachments from the construction area and to indemnify and hold ODOT harmless.
DISCUSSION: The City must acquire 9 easements along Brookhaven Creek from Main Street to Willow Grove Drive. Currently, staff has secured six (6) easements and one (1) warranty deed. Negotiations are currently under way for the remaining two (2) easements from 2 property owners. Staff requested donations prior to making any offers of fair market value. The attached table provides the details of each easement. Also a map is attached providing the location of each easement necessary for the project. Funds are available in Main Street Bridge Replacement, Right of Way (account 050-9352-431.60-01; project BP0194).
The engineering design of the West Main Street Bridge Project is 70% complete and the utility relocation process is 60% complete. The bridge project is scheduled to begin construction in September 2016 with completion anticipated by April 2017.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the above described easements be accepted, and that payment be authorized, where appropriate, and the filing be directed thereof.