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CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF EASEMENT NO. E-1314-39, A PERMANENT DRAINAGE EASEMENT FROM RICKY LEE AND VIVIAN LEE JENNINGS IN THE AMOUNT OF $74,220, FOR THE WEST LINDSEY STREET WIDENING PROJECT FROM 24TH AVENUE TO BERRY ROAD.
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BACKGROUND: On November 22, 2011, the Norman City Council approved Programming Resolution No. R-1112-63 requesting federal funds for the West Lindsey Street Improvements. This resolution states the City’s commitment to adhere to the terms and conditions of a federally funded project. Through the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG,) the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) agrees to provide 80% of the cost, up to $9.7 million, and administer the construction with the matching share from the City of Norman. In order to receive the federal funding, the City of Norman is required to enter into an agreement with ODOT to complete the design, acquire all necessary rights-of-way and relocate utilities and encroachments at 100% the City’s cost.
On August 28, 2012, the citizens of Norman voted in favor of a Bond Election to finance the local share of eight transportation/storm water improvement projects. One of the eight projects is the West Lindsey Street Improvement Project.
The roadway portion of the project includes transportation and aesthetic improvements to West Lindsey Street. The West Lindsey Street corridor between Interstate 35 and Berry Road is the most congested corridor in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. This section of West Lindsey Street has a traffic accident rate three (3) times the national average for similar urban arterial streets.
Proposed improvements for the roadway project include:
1. Widening West Lindsey Street from 3 lanes to 4 lanes with additional lanes at intersections
2. New bridge over Imhoff Creek
3. Continuous sidewalks on both sides of the street
4. Access management to adjacent properties
5. Multi-modal improvements including on-street bicycle lanes
6. Aesthetic enhancements including decorative pavement, landscaping and roadway lighting
7. Underground utilities
8. Accessibility to disabled individuals
9. Storm water improvements
The storm water portion of the project addresses the flooding problems along West Lindsey Street, most notably at the Lindsey Street and McGee Drive intersection. The design will include conveying storm water from a 3.4 square miles watershed to an underground pipeline which will discharge directly to the Canadian River.
DISCUSSION: The City must acquire nine (9) easements along the I-35 Corridor between Lindsey Street and State Highway No. 9 for the drainage portion of the West Lindsey Street Improvement Project. Currently, staff has secured two (2) easements. Negotiations are currently under way for the remaining seven (7) easements. Staff requested donations prior to making any offers of fair market value. Attachment A is a table providing the details of each easement. Also a map is attached providing the location of each easement necessary for the project. Easement No. E-1314-39 is Parcel 10 on the map.
Funds are available in Project No. BP0189, Lindsey: 24th-Berry, Land 050-9552-431.60-01.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends Easement No. E-1314-39 be accepted and payment be authorized and where appropriate, the filing be directed thereof.