City Beat August 17, 2021

City Beat

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August 17, 2021

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News & Updates

Brent Bell Construction crews lay aggregate base at the Hillcrest Drive Rehabilitation Project site last week. Lanes on Hillcrest will be closed or reduced to one lane each direction during the next phase of the project, which is expected to begin later this month or early-September.

Hillcrest rehab project ahead of schedule

Voter approved project expected to wrap up by end of this year

The Hillcrest Drive Rehabilitation project, which got underway in April, continues to progress ahead of schedule despite several days of heavy rainfall and localized flooding issues, Director of Engineering Micah Siemers said last week.

The $2.2 million project, approved by voters in the 2013 Half-cent Capital Improvement Projects Election, involves reconstructing Hillcrest Drive from the Caney River to just north of 20th Street. The new roadway will consist of two 12-foot-wide drive lanes with six-foot-wide asphalt shoulders. Turn lanes will be provided at Shawnee Avenue and 20th Street, and a pedestrian path in the area will be provided by maintaining some of the existing roadway.

The schedule

Siemers said contractor Brent Bell Construction has done a good job of keeping the project on-schedule despite some unforeseen problems.

The contract essentially calls for the project to be wrapped by late February 2022," Siemers said. "However, the contractor is well ahead of schedule. Some of the milestones have been moving targets as we run into unforeseen utility conflicts and there are always modifications to the design during construction based upon actual field conditions, but I anticipate that we will be finished with this project by the end of this calendar year."

Siemers said 43 days work have been lost due to weather conditions, and more work than expected was required to deal with flooding issues at the site.

"We are only on Day 93 of the contract and 43 of those have been lost to weather," he said last week.

"The contractor has done an outstanding job in doing whatever it takes to make up for those days of lost work, including working weekends and other non-traditional 'work days,' and staying ahead of schedule on this project.

"Also, we are working in the floodplain with really flat surrounding grades that don’t drain well, and the contractor has done a good job of getting the site to drain better than we could have expected. But there have still been periods of time it was just too wet to work."

The phases

Siemers said the first phase of the project includes construction of the mainline of the new roadway along with the reconstruction of the 20th Street intersection and connection to the existing alignment just north of 20th Street.

"The subgrade work is complete on that section and they placed separator fabric and began placing the aggregate base last week," he said. "I anticipate that it will take two weeks to get all of the aggregate base placed, compacted and cut to grade. They should be pouring curb and gutter at 20th Street during that period as well."

He said that once the aggregate base is finished and curb and gutter is complete, contract crews will either lay the bottom lifts of asphalt on all of the areas with aggregate base, or "they may begin work on the transition/connection to the existing roadway on the south end of the project just north of the river," which is Phase 2 of the project.

He said this phase will involve additional road closures, which motorists should expect in the coming weeks.

Lane closures

"We will either close Hillcrest completely for up to three weeks or close one lane of traffic with temporary signals to maintain two-way traffic while they work on that section of the project," he said. "Neither are good options for users, but closing it completely would make the disruption a shorter duration. We are weighing it all out. This is likely to occur toward the end of August or early September."

Siemers said after the south connection is completed, contract crews will lay the remaining asphalt and/or lay all of the asphalt on the mainline, depending on how the work is scheduled.

"Once that work is complete, which I would estimate to be sometime around early October, they will shift traffic to the new roadway, opening up 20th Street and close down Shawnee, and work on the turn lane at Shawnee and extending Shawnee to the new roadway," he said. "This could be considered Phase 3."

Phase 3 also includes fine grading and cleanup in the right-of-way, which will mostly be done simultaneously with Phase 2.

Speed reduction

Siemers also reminds motorists that reduced speed limits are in effect in the area until the work is complete.

"The speed limit is 30 mph on Hillcrest in the project area and there is an increase in traffic volume near the high school now that classes have resumed for the year, so it's important that everyone slow down and use caution as always," he said. "Regardless of whether we close the road completely for the next phase or reduce to one lane of traffic, I recommend taking an alternate route if possible.”

City resumes control of operations at airport

Michael Richardson to continue in role as airport manager

The City of Bartlesville took over control of operations of the City-owned Bartlesville Municipal Airport on Monday.

While the airport has always been owned by the City, management of its operation had been provided by ConocoPhillips and the preceding Phillips companies for several years.

ConocoPhillips announced last year that it would terminate its lease-operating agreement with the City effective Aug. 15.

City Manager Mike Bailey said today the City has resumed oversight of airport operations — a move made much easier by Airport Manager Michael Richardson's decision to stay on following the switch, Bailey said.

"Mike has been the airport manager for many years as an employee of ConocoPhillips," he said. "We offered to retain him in that position as an employee of the City and, thankfully, he accepted our offer and will continue in his role as airport manager. We were also able to bring his entire airport crew into the City fold, so the airport was able to retain all of the critical knowledge of its staff."

Bailey said so far the transfer has gone well.

"The Phillips companies have operated the airport for as far back as I can remember, so it was a bit of a learning curve for City staff as we began learning the ins and outs of running an airport," he said. "Fortunately, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66 worked with us every step of the way, and that certainly made that transition easier. We are grateful to them for their excellent management of the airport all these years. Our collaboration with them, coupled with Mike and his crew agreeing to stay on, has all but ensured a seamless transition."

Unity Square visitors exceed expectations

Gathering space draws big crowds to downtown Bartlesville

Tower Center at Unity Square, the voter-approved community gathering space located at 300 S.E. Adams Blvd., is quickly becoming one of Bartlesville's most prized amenities, with hundreds of residents and out-of-town visitors flocking to the park to attend events and other activities.

"When we asked voters to consider funding for this space in the 2018 General Obligation Bond Election, we knew it had the potential to be a very big deal for Bartlesville — not only to enhance the quality of life for our residents but also to bring people to our city," said City Manager Mike Bailey.

Funded through the 2018 G.O. Bond Issue and several corporate and private donations from the community, "Unity Square" officially opened last summer and has since drawn thousands of people to events held at the park.

Though the City facilitated funding for the space and oversaw design and construction of the project, maintenance and operation of Unity Square is overseen by the Bartlesville Community Center and the Price Tower, with event programming handled by the BCC.

BCC Director Val Callaghan said the park's recent Sizzlin' Summer Series drew about 1,400 people, with an estimated 400 people attending "Native Color" in June, 700 attending "Hometown Heroes" in July and 300 people attending the "Salsa North of Tulsa" in August.

Callaghan said "Native Color," in particular, has been a favorite feature at the park. The interactive art and water feature consists of nine 11-foot-tall stainless steel flowers with stained glass petals, representing the Oklahoma state wildflower Indian Blanket, attended by honey bees — "a nod to nature, community workers and producers," the Unity Square Management Committee said last year. The feature was designed by Kansas City, Mo., artist Amie Jacobsen, who won a contest undertaken to decide the final project design.

“Native Color, Unity Square’s newest interactive water and art installation, has been a huge hit with Bartlesville families and exercise groups wanting to cool off," Callaghan said. "Artist Amie Jacobsen’s beautiful, stainless Indian Blanket flowers, bring many visitors to the new, urban greenspace.”

Callaghan said Bartlesville Public Library staff has been a big help in securing funding so that free events can be offered at the space.

"We cannot thank the staff at the Bartlesville Public Library enough for writing grants to pay exercise instructors so that classes can be offered to the public for free," she said. "It has been a pleasure to work with Library staff and exercise instructors, alike.”

Though construction at the site is complete, City officials say that improvements and repairs to the lawn and landscaping are planned.

"This park is already one of the most beautiful park facilities in northeast Oklahoma, but we believe that it can be even better," Bailey said. "City and BCC staff are working together to determine how to further improve the appearance of the lawn and landscaping. The damaged or dead plants and trees are still under warranty, and we’re working with our contractor to replace those. We’re also developing a plan to improve the thickness and appearance of the lawn."

He said some changes will be made soon and visitors to the park should notice some improvement in the near future. However, other items, such as replacement of sod and some plants, will have to wait until late spring or early summer of next year.

"We’re excited to help ensure that the park continues to reflect the vision of the City Council and the design committee that brought this project to fruition," Bailey said.

For more information or to rent space at Unity Square, contact the BCC at 918.337.2787.

Picnic ready

Shelters and picnic tables have been installed at the City-owned Lee Lake, thanks to a generous donation from Phillips 66.

"Each shelter contains one ADA compliant and one standard picnic table," said Community Development Director Lisa Beeman.

"We are grateful to Phillips 66 not only for this donation but all the things they do that make our community a better place to work, play and live."

Lee Lake, located on Adams Boulevard near Silver Lake Road, is Bartlesville's only in-city fishing lake.

While swimming is not permitted at the lake, non-wake forming vessels such as kayaks, canoes and paddle boards are welcome.

BPD steps up enforcement at school zones

Local schools have resumed classes and Bartlesville Police Department's "no tolerance, no exceptions" traffic enforcement in schools zones is underway. BPD implemented the "no tolerance" policy in an effort to protect students beginning the new school year, Patrol Capt. Kelley Thomas said today.

"Officers have issued about 40 citations for traffic violations in or near school zones since Aug. 12, including other school-related violations, such as failing to stop for a school bus," Thomas said.

Motorists should take care to avoid the following:

Speeding in a school zone
Not stopping for a school bus
Failing to stop and/or yield from all school parking lots
Running or not coming to a complete stop at stops signs in neighborhoods near the schools
Excessive acceleration from stop and yield signs
Reckless driving
Driving in a manner not reasonable and proper

Anyone who violates these or any other traffic ordinance will be cited, Thomas said.

"This effort is in place to help ensure that everyone slows down and makes sure they're paying attention as they drive through school zones and the areas close to them," Thomas said. "It's important that we all do our part to keep our students, teachers and parents safe as they begin their new school year."

PSAs

OCH set for September 18

Operation Clean House will be held this year on Sept. 18. Items will be accepted between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. at two drop-off locations:

Phillips Parking lot

Located on Adams Boulevard just west of the railroad tracks

Items accepted at this location include electronics and hazardous household waste such as cleaners, yard care products, oil- and aerosol-based paints, pharmaceuticals and fluorescent bulbs.

Washington County District 2 barn

Located on Ninth Street in Dewey, 2 miles east of U.S. Highway 75

Items accepted at this location include motor oil, antifreeze, automotive batteries, tires and appliances.

For more information about the event, contact the Washington County Commissioners at 918.534.1170 or email OCH.BVILLE@gmail.com.

COVID relief funds available

If you need help with rent or utility costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, call Concern at 918.214.8945 to apply for COVID relief funds.

To qualify for rent assistance:

You must be a Bartlesville resident.
You must be renting your home.
You must be requesting assistance for bills dated no earlier than Jan. 21, 2020.
You must have a total household income in the low to moderate range, per HUD guidelines.
Your inability to pay rent must have been due to COVID-19.
You must not claim the same assistance from any other source.

To qualify for utility assistance:

You must be a Bartlesville resident.
You must be requesting assistance for bills dated no earlier than Jan. 21, 2020.
You must have a total household income in the low to moderate range, per HUD guidelines (see below).
Your inability to pay utilities must have been due to COVID-19.
You must not claim the same assistance from any other source.

Volunteer Opportunities

Board, Committee & Commission Openings

The City of Bartlesville has numerous boards, committees and commissions that are driven by citizen volunteers. All citizens are encouraged and welcome to apply.

Board applications are located online and in the city manager’s office, located on the second floor of City Hall, 401 S. Johnstone Ave. Applications are kept on file for two years. To view a complete list, see Boards, Committees & Commissions.

The City currently has the following committee/board openings: