Patrick
09-06-2005, 11:07 AM
Oh well, maybe this dealy will give the city sometime to start work on the new entryway from 6th St.
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"Bricktown bridge construction faces delay
By Bryan Dean
The Oklahoman
A fight between Oklahoma City and Union Pacific Railroad Co. could delay completion of the Walnut Avenue bridge, officials said.
The bridge, a major Bricktown entryway, was closed in August 2004 because it no longer was safe.
Repair work started in March after Allen Contracting won a $4.2 million contract from the city for renovations. The contract award was delayed because of the fight with Union Pacific. The dispute could force crews to halt construction if it is not resolved soon, City Engineer Paul Brum said.
The city wants Union Pacific to pay for part of the repairs. Craig Keith, a staff attorney for the city, said state law requires the railroad to pay at least half. The city and the railroad have not agreed on a split of the costs, and the city took the case before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
The city and the railroad also are at odds over the design of the bridge, and the railroad has refused to grant the city permission to build over the tracks. An attorney for the railroad said the city acted without consulting the railroad, leading to design flaws the city now wants to fix by reducing the amount of track available to the railroad.
An administrative law judge with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission denied the city’s request for an order granting the city the right to complete the bridge as designed because of concerns clearance between the tracks and the bridge would not meet the 23-foot industry standard.
The city responded by developing a plan to relocate the tracks. The city allocated $1 million to move the track so that it would meet the clearance requirements.
Rob Hart, an attorney for Union Pacific, said the city’s plan for the relocated track would eliminate a side track allowing cars to be added to a train.
“It’s hard to switch cars on one track instead of two,” Hart said.
Keith said the city offered to pay for additional work on the main line of track in exchange for relocating it and eliminating the side track.
Hart said the design dispute could have been avoided if the city had gone to the railroad earlier.
“It’s been unilateral action with the city,” Hart said. “The railroad has tried to work with them. If the city had approached the railroad before soliciting bids, none of this would have been an issue. Now they are stuck.”
City Manager Jim Couch denied Hart’s claim and said the railroad has been involved with the project for years.
Demolition thwarted
The city planned in 2001 to demolish the bridge and build an at-grade crossing. Keith said the railroad was involved in those plans. Preservationists rallied to keep the bridge, built in the 1930s. When the Corporation Commission decided it was safer to refurbish the bridge, the city began working on new plans.
Keith said the railroad has participated with the new design since at least April of 2004.
The city expects the Corporation Commission to rule in its favor now that a plan is in place to relocate the track.
“The administrative law judge announced on Tuesday that she was going to recommend to the commission that they approve an order allowing the city to build the bridge,” Keith said. “We’re expecting an order from the court very soon.”
The railroad could appeal such a decision to the full Corporation Commission.
Couch said he hopes the bridge can still be done by its planned April completion date.
“We are trying to get it open,” Couch said. “As of this day, we don’t have authorization to build it over the track itself. We have a plan in place that we think will address the railroad’s issues.”
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"Bricktown bridge construction faces delay
By Bryan Dean
The Oklahoman
A fight between Oklahoma City and Union Pacific Railroad Co. could delay completion of the Walnut Avenue bridge, officials said.
The bridge, a major Bricktown entryway, was closed in August 2004 because it no longer was safe.
Repair work started in March after Allen Contracting won a $4.2 million contract from the city for renovations. The contract award was delayed because of the fight with Union Pacific. The dispute could force crews to halt construction if it is not resolved soon, City Engineer Paul Brum said.
The city wants Union Pacific to pay for part of the repairs. Craig Keith, a staff attorney for the city, said state law requires the railroad to pay at least half. The city and the railroad have not agreed on a split of the costs, and the city took the case before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
The city and the railroad also are at odds over the design of the bridge, and the railroad has refused to grant the city permission to build over the tracks. An attorney for the railroad said the city acted without consulting the railroad, leading to design flaws the city now wants to fix by reducing the amount of track available to the railroad.
An administrative law judge with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission denied the city’s request for an order granting the city the right to complete the bridge as designed because of concerns clearance between the tracks and the bridge would not meet the 23-foot industry standard.
The city responded by developing a plan to relocate the tracks. The city allocated $1 million to move the track so that it would meet the clearance requirements.
Rob Hart, an attorney for Union Pacific, said the city’s plan for the relocated track would eliminate a side track allowing cars to be added to a train.
“It’s hard to switch cars on one track instead of two,” Hart said.
Keith said the city offered to pay for additional work on the main line of track in exchange for relocating it and eliminating the side track.
Hart said the design dispute could have been avoided if the city had gone to the railroad earlier.
“It’s been unilateral action with the city,” Hart said. “The railroad has tried to work with them. If the city had approached the railroad before soliciting bids, none of this would have been an issue. Now they are stuck.”
City Manager Jim Couch denied Hart’s claim and said the railroad has been involved with the project for years.
Demolition thwarted
The city planned in 2001 to demolish the bridge and build an at-grade crossing. Keith said the railroad was involved in those plans. Preservationists rallied to keep the bridge, built in the 1930s. When the Corporation Commission decided it was safer to refurbish the bridge, the city began working on new plans.
Keith said the railroad has participated with the new design since at least April of 2004.
The city expects the Corporation Commission to rule in its favor now that a plan is in place to relocate the track.
“The administrative law judge announced on Tuesday that she was going to recommend to the commission that they approve an order allowing the city to build the bridge,” Keith said. “We’re expecting an order from the court very soon.”
The railroad could appeal such a decision to the full Corporation Commission.
Couch said he hopes the bridge can still be done by its planned April completion date.
“We are trying to get it open,” Couch said. “As of this day, we don’t have authorization to build it over the track itself. We have a plan in place that we think will address the railroad’s issues.”