Numerous city road projects planned
James Coburn
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — City Engineer Steve Manek has been receiving a lot of emails complaining about Covell Road intersecting with Santa Fe and Bryant Avenues. There are currently no design plans to improve these intersections.
Manek briefed the Edmond City Council recently about unfunded city road and signalization improvements that are needed to improve traffic flow and efficiency. More than $38 million of projects comprised Manek’s prepared list of items that could take the city 10 years to implement.
“We have the long-term solution — the Covell Parkway — building the four lanes divided, the left-turn lanes, right-turn lanes, everything that’s needed,” Manek said.
He identified a $3 million temporary improvement at the intersections would add four designated left-turn lanes at each intersection. The city faces rights-of-way challenges with utilities at each place, Manek added.
Councilwoman Victoria Caldwell asked how much the permanent fix to the intersections would cost.
“With the permanent fix at Santa Fe, you’re basically taking out all of the structures,” Manek said. “So, it’s probably in the $6 million to $8 million range.”
The Bryant intersection would probably be less expensive due to smaller drainage structures he said.
A funding source to pay for these infrastructure improvements has not been determined for the $143.6 million worth of city projects identified by departments, said Larry Stevens, city manager.
There are concerns that the 2000 Capital Improvement 3/4-cent sales tax will not provide adequate funding for major capital projects, Stevens said. Bond issues used to fund projects from the 2000 tax were issued in $20 million increments and will be paid out in 2021, Stevens said.
A $500,000 road widening project with Edmond Public Schools is anticipated for Sorghum Mill going east of Broadway where a new elementary school will be constructed.
“Once that school is up and running, I guarantee the traffic is going to start backing up,” Manek said. Code requires the schools to widen the frontage next to them, but the city could do some of the work for the schools, he continued.
“Anything we could do to facilitate traffic in front of them is going to benefit them,” Manek said.
Widening of the road could include providing a left-turn lane along the frontage of the school. Intersection improvements may be necessary at Sorghum and Broadway. Manek said he plans to contact the county for assistance.
Another public school related project will be at Pennsylvania and Covell for $500,000. This will be the vicinity of where a new elementary school and middle school will be constructed in 2015, he said.
“Oklahoma City in the year of 2016 has a road-widening project coming up at our city limits,” Manek said. “It would be a good opportunity again to partner with another entity to carry those widenings through.”
In the interim, Manek said his department sees the need for three lanes with a turn lane in the middle. Turn lanes at the intersection could move in all directions, Manek said.
Improvements at Air Depot and Covell are not included in current design plans. Manek foresees a $7 million road-widening and signalization project that is needed in preparation for Edmond’s fourth high school that is planned to open in seven years.
“This is a large project that we need to get under design,” Manek said.
Widening would likely occur one half mile south of Covell on Air Depot and at least one third mile east of Air Depot on Covell, Manek said.
Also, additional turn lanes on Boulevard are needed to offset traffic congestion occurring at Boulevard and Second Street. This project is anticipated to cost $2 million, Manek said. The intersection continues to increase in traffic volume, he explained. The money would pay for relocating utilities and a design fee.
“There’s no right-of-way to be acquired,” Manek said. “We know we can get this in the ACOG cue at some point.”
There is not a cost estimate for developing the frontage road along Interstate 35. Current frontage roads are not adequate for the volume of traffic expected with future developments, Manek said. Improvements are also needed at the interchanges, he said.
Southbound traffic on I-35 and Second Street backs up almost out to the three interstate lanes from 7-10:30 a.m., Manek said. Traffic begins backing up for northbound traffic at I-35 and 15th Street from 4:30-5 p.m. to 6 p.m., Manek said.
The most expensive project will be finishing a 2.5-mile section of Covell Parkway from Boulevard east to the Fairfax Business Park, Manek said. The $25 million project is under design, he said.
Stevens said the city is wrestling with the idea of having to fund certain road projects on its own. Some road sections need to be improved without delays caused by years of discussion.
The federal government must re-authorize a transportation bill to keep federal funds coming, Manek said. More than 30 member cities of ACOG compete for limited federal dollars, Manek said.
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