By Martin Couch
Several issues were addressed at the June Bryant City Council meeting on Thursday, June 10, including a storm water enhancement update, a plan to widen Alcoa Road south of the shopping center to the traffic light at Boone Road, an ordinance for the purpose of increasing water impact fees and a future major road project.[more]
In old business, city engineer Richard Penn talked about the city’s goal to reduce intermittent flooding problems due to intense rainfall events in the Forest Cove, Sunset Meadows, West Pointe, Springhill Acres, Springhill Manor, Sherwood Estates and Northridge subdivisions.
In his report to the City Council, Penn addressed 11 areas of concern, one of them being that the approved funding of $225,000 was nearly depleted with less than $1,400 remaining for disbursement.
“It’s going to take a little longer to do this,” Penn said.
His report concluded that all box culverts for the 50-year design flow are installed and operational in Sunset Meadows.
Also:
(2) The design for Westpointe Phase III at Independence Drive and Sedgefield Drive for drainage improvements is 100 percent ready to bid.
(3) The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has placed the Highway 5 bridge replacement project on the 2010-2013 statewide transportation improvement plan (STIP). The recently approved STIP provides for letting a contract for construction in 2011.
(4) A grant application through CAPDD and ADEM for improvements to place stream section from Forest Drive to Ashlea Place and for Henson Place south crossing to Highway 5 is still being developed.
(5) A grant application for completing Forest Drive and adjacent stream improvements (complete with headwalls, wingwalls, etc.) was voted to proceed to FEMA for the CAPDD Board of Directors. The objective of this grant is to restore accessibility for emergency operations (the temporary low water bridge is not needed after the improvements are completed). After a public hearing about this issue in April, receipt of grant funds for this project continues to remain a possibility.
(6) Augusta Cove drainage improvements low bid was $63,581.11 from Redstone Construction. The bid expired in May 2009. A concrete barrier was set at the curb line where the new temporary ditch crosses the street because of safety issues. The existing temporary culvert needs to be replaced with concrete pipe in order to stabilize the road. The estimated cost of the concrete pipe for the street width only and paving materials is $15,000.
(7) Rodeo Drive short-term improvements, phases 1 and 2 are complete. Phase 3 will address the stream areas on Dobbins’ property behind Smith and Larson to Boswell’s property line. The Council approved $5,800 for FTN to develop the Phase 3 design, including coordination with Lex Dobbins.
(8) Asphalt shims have been completed at the Four Crossings and Sunset Meadows.
(9) Driveway replacements due to construction damage are complete. Repairs to sodded lawns are complete. Other repairs to construction sites at the Four Crossings and streambank stabilization at Sunset Meadows will continue to be made until the remaining funds are spent.
(10) Storms in April and May were assessed by the FTN. The date revealed that rainfail in this area was estimated at a two to five-year intensity. There were no reports of water inside houses in Forest Cove or Sunset Meadows, indicating that the recent installation of box culverts is helping convey stormwater runoff better than that which occurred in April 2008.
(11) Lot 1 entrance to Forest Cove from Highway 5 was moved, trimmed and then smoothed with a dozer by the Street Department recently.
“We want to focus on the areas that need attention first and make sure we have the right spots,” Penn said.
ROADS
The Council voted 5-1 to accept a contract with Jacobs and Associates of Little Rock to conduct a study on four separate street projects that would connect Springhill Road to Woodland Park, Woodland Park to Prickett, Raymar Road north to Highway 5 and Raymar Road south to the Regional Airport.
“There were concerns at Town Hall meetings we held last year and we would have open meetings to have their input as part of that agreement (with Jacobs and Associates),” Mayor Larry Mitchell said.
All four contracts are separate. Dates of the open meetings have yet to be determined.
LAKE DEGRAY WATER AGREEMENT
The Council passed an approval of a Lake DeGray water agreement that will supply Bryant with water in the future.
“What this does is it gives Bryant a long-term, 15 million gallons of water a day in the future,” Mitchell said. “It will ensure Bryant a water supply for the long term.”
ROAD WIDENING AT ALCOA
The Council also passed a resolution for the implementation of widening Alcoa road from the Electric Cooperative site to the traffic light on Boone Road.
“This is a very small area in the city of Bryant and we will utilize Federal funds for the design and implementation of this project,” Mitchell said.
