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CONTRACT K-1617-81: A CONTRACT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AND THE OKLAHOMA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE IN THE AMOUNT OF $46,642.24 FOR THE RELOCATION OF UNDERGROUND FACILITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE 12TH AVENUE S.E.WIDENING PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF NORMAN.
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BACKGROUND: On August 28, 2012, the citizens of Norman voted in favor of a General Obligation Bond Issue to finance the local share of eight transportation/storm water improvement projects. One of the eight 2012 bond projects is the 12th Avenue S.E. Widening Project (please see the attached location map showing the project boundaries).
On December 11, 2012, the Norman City Council approved Programming Resolution R-1213-78 requesting federal funds for the 12th Avenue S.E. Widening Project. This resolution states the City’s commitment to adhere to the terms and conditions of a federally funded project including engineering design, acquisition of all necessary rights-of-way and relocation of utilities and encroachments at 100% the City’s cost. In return, the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG), through the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), agrees to provide 80% of the cost for the administration and construction with the matching share (20%) from the City of Norman.
On April 9, 2013, City Council approved engineering services Contract K-1213-161 with Tetra Tech Inc. for the design of the 12th Avenue SE Widening Project which involves the construction of a new four-lane roadway that will include five foot bike lanes on each side of the road. The project will also include improvements at the intersection of State Highway 9 (SH-9) and 12th Avenue SE, extend the bike lanes north to Oak Tree Avenue and add a left turn lane into the Campus Crest Apartments.
On March 11, 2014, City Council approved Amendment #1 for additional engineering services to Contract K-1213-161 with Tetra Tech Inc. This amendment provided additional intersection analysis and design at SH-9 to accommodate the added traffic generated by two new apartment complexes on 12th Avenue SE between SH-9 and Cedar Lane Road as well as anticipated future development in the surrounding area.
On April 14, 2015, City Council approved Amendment #2 for additional engineering services to Contract K-1213-161 with Tetra Tech Inc., which added water line relocation plans to the design scope of the project.
Proposed improvements for the 12th Avenue S.E. Widening Project include:
1. Widening 12th Avenue S.E. from Cedar Lane Road to State Highway 9 from 2 lanes to 4 lanes;
2. Addition of 5-foot wide on-street bike lanes;
3. Intersection improvements at 12th Avenue SE/Campus Crest Drive and 12th Avenue SE/State Highway 9;
4. Continuous sidewalks on both sides of the roadway;
5. Stormwater drainage improvements.
In early 2017, Council will be asked to approve a Right of Way, Utility and Encroachment agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. 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: One of the City’s key obligations of this project is to relocate all existing utilities in the corridor that may be in conflict with the street and storm water improvements. Public right-of-way is limited along the project. Some new permanent easements are in the process of being purchased to accommodate the proposed road and drainage improvements. A cost analysis was done to determine the cost of additional right-of-way to relocate Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC) utilities located in the vicinity of this project overhead, compared to the additional cost for OEC to relocate underground within the existing right-of-way. Based on the analysis, the cost to relocate underground is about 10% less than purchasing additional permanent easement. Relocating underground also has an aesthetic benefit to the project as well.
OEC is requesting the City approve the project agreement. Staff has reviewed and recommends approval of the project agreement and resolution.
In summary, the OEC’s responsibilities in this agreement are:
• Provide labor and material to relocate its existing facilities;
• Pay for all costs to relocate the utility except for the additional underground costs;
• Installed facilities will remain the property and maintenance responsibility of OEC.
In summary, City’s responsibilities are:
• The City shall grant OEC permission to use its rights-of-way to install, operate, maintain and remove its electrical facilities;
• The City will pay the additional underground relocation cost for the OEC facility, estimated to be $46,642.24.
Funding for this project is to be allocated from the 12th Avenue SE Widening Bond Project, Utilities account (050-9552-431.67-01; project BP0191). If approved, we are requesting that OEC complete all relocations by March 1, 2017, which is the necessary time frame to have utilities cleared for a May 2017 ODOT bid opening.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of Contract K-1617-81 between the City of Norman and OEC for the underground relocation of their facilities on the 12th Avenue SE Bond Project, for $46,642.24.