From City Beat – April 23, 2024
Most City projects are in some stage of development at any given time. Beginning at the design phase though contract approval to actual construction, these projects are never far from mind for City staff, even if sometimes out of view to most citizens. To help remedy this, Engineering Director Micah Siemers gives us a project update in today’s City Beat.
Pickleball Courts
Work continues on the voter-approved pickle ball court project in Sooner Park, with initial pavement of the courts complete and perimeter fencing installed.
Siemers said lighting for the project has been added to the base project and is in the process of being installed.
“The base bid for the project includes construction of the six courts, seating and fencing around the perimeter. Alternate bid items, which are not required but lock in costs in the event that funding is available, include lighting the courts as well as the addition of shade structures,” Siemers said. “The City Council approved additional funding for the lighting during a recent meeting, and some private donation funds are expected to help off-set those costs. So we will be able to light the courts to allow for evening play during the winter months.”
The courts are located south of the No. 3 Fire Station, adjacent to the Sooner Park tennis courts. Voters approved $459,000 for the project in the 2020 General Obligation Bond Election. Construction is expected to wrap up next month or two.
“We hope to have the courts ready for play by late May or early June,” Siemers said.
Veterans Park Memorial
The Veterans Park Memorial project got underway recently, which consists of the installation of seven flag poles with landscaping, a reflection bench, some signage and sidewalk to access the improvements at the City-owned Veterans Park, located at 312 S.W. Virginia Ave.
“We are in the process of installing the electrical to provide lighting for the flags,” Siemers said. “Concrete has been poured and the sleeves for the flag poles have been installed. Flag poles were delivered to the contractor’s facilities yesterday and the landscaping subcontractor was supposed to receive the landscaping blocks yesterday as well. Weather doesn’t appear to be very good this week, but they will make progress on what they can this week with the landscaping components and flag pole installation likely starting up next week.”
The target date for completion is Memorial Day weekend, though some aspects of the project could take longer, Siemers said.
“We are certainly hoping to have it finished by Memorial Day, but it could be the Fourth of July, at the very latest,” he said.
Funds for the majority of the project were provided by a local corporate donor, which will be announced at a later date. Unallocated sales tax funds will be used to cover the remaining contract.
Pathfinder trail improvements
Nearly $800,000 is available in carry-over funds for various portions of Pathfinder Parkway, a series of paved trails that wind through city neighborhoods and connect the city’s major parks.
“We anticipate asking the City Council to approve a bid award for work on several sections of Pathfinder at the June 3 council meeting,” Siemers said.
He said the areas slated for improvements are:
- Near Silver Lake Road and Polaris Drive
- Robinwood Park, through the bird sanctuary
- Washed-out area (aka the frog pond) southeast of Shawnee Avenue behind Bartlesville High School
- Near Adams Boulevard and Quapaw Avenue
- Between Johnstone Park and Tuxedo Bridge at Caney River
- Path around Douglass Park, located at 509 S.W. Bucy Avenue
Parking lots, access roads at major parks
2020 G.O. Bond Election voters approved upwards of $1.2 million in funding to improve parking lots and access roads at the City’s major parks, including Sooner, Johnstone, Lyon, and Jo Allyn Lowe.
Siemers said plans for this project, which will be handled as one project, are complete and the City Council should be asked to consider approval of a construction contract this summer.
“Construction on this project should start later this summer or early fall,” he said.
Adams Golf Course greens rebuild
The Adams Municipal Golf Course greens rebuild project is a $2.2 million project that will replace all 18 greens on the course.
To facilitate the project, the course will close at the end of October and will partially reopen in January 2025.
Work has been ongoing at the golf course to help prepare for the project, resulting in about 200 trees being removed from the property in an effort to control erosion and promote grass growth.
This project is being funded through the 2018, 2020 and 2023 General Obligation Bond Elections, along with private donations.
Crestland concrete panel rehab
Work on the Crestland concrete panel replacement project between Adams Boulevard and Baylor Drive is expected to wrap up in the next six weeks, Siemers said.
“Construction is nearing completion on this project,” he said. “The project has included replacement of cracked concrete panels, some sidewalk replacement, and also addition of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant ramps at intersections. The project not only included Crestland between Adams and Baylor, but also included Baylor Place that loops between Baylor and Crestland.”
The $775,500 project was approved by voters in the 2020 G.O. Bond Election.
City Hall upgrades
City Hall will be getting a bit of a makeover over several projects, including:
- Window replacements ($306,000 2020 G.O. Bond)
- Restrooms remodel ($300,000 Capital Reserve Fund)
- Lighting upgrades ($200,000 Capital Reserve Fund)
- New carpet ($39,200 Capital Improvement Projects Sales Tax)
- Roof repair ($70,500 2020 G.O. Bond)
- City Hall server room A/C replacement/upgrade ($25,000 Capital Improvement Projects Sales Tax)
- Security upgrades ($350,000 Capital Reserve Fund)
“Some voter-approved projects for City Hall, such as the boiler replacement ($185,000 2020 G.O. Bond Election) and Cooling Tower Replacement ($126,500 Capital Improvement Projects Sales Tax), have been completed already while others are slated for the near-term,” Siemers said. “The restrooms, for instance, have not been updated since the 1960s, so it is definitely time make some improvements there.
“For the longer-term, security upgrades are in the planning stages. The public will still have complete access but staff will be made safer with these upgrades. Unfortunately, these are things we have to think about in today’s world.”
Tuxedo Bridge rehab
The $1.2 million Tuxedo Bridge Rehabilitation Project remains postponed after regulatory agencies discovered the possible presence of several species of bats and mussels in the area.
“We have had Tuxedo Bridge reduced to one lane westbound for more than a year due to the time it takes to plan and design a project of this magnitude, and also delays after it was determined that we would need to work around the presence of bats under the bridge deck and mussels in the river below,” Siemers said. “Between the two, we essentially have to wait until this summer to bid the project and closer to September to start the project. So currently, that is the plan.”
Siemers said construction on the bridge could start in August or September and should take upwards of nine months to complete. Both bridge lanes westbound will be closed during most of the project.
Sunset/Butler Creek Bridge Project
Temporary patching has been done to the existing bridge on Sunset Boulevard over Butler Creek until more extensive repairs can be made. Voters approved $1 million in funding in the 2020 G.O. Bond Election to complete a full rehabilitation and deck reconstruction in addition to maintenance work on the piers and pier caps.
An additional $400,000 was approved in the most recent (2020) Capital Improvement Projects Sales Tax Election for the Sunset Pathfinder extension and pedestrian bridge. This multi-phased project consists of constructing a pedestrian bridge over Butler Creek and utilizing the bicycle lane on the east side of Sunset Boulevard to connect Lupa to Oak Park Road. At some point in the future, improvements will be made to the existing sidewalk between Parkview Drive and Oak Park Road to complete the connection of the pedestrian trail.
The pedestrian bridge project will be combined with the Sunset Bridge project to cause the least inconvenience to motorists and Oak Park housing addition residents.
Siemers said the project design is complete and staff are working with property owners to acquire right-of-way to facilitate the pedestrian bridge portion of the project.
The project could go to the City Council for contract approval towards the end of this summer. Construction is slated to begin in late summer or early fall of this year.