Council approves priorities for Street Construction Project

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Ben Fletcher, of Meshek & Associates, speaks of a timetable for the city’s proposed Capital Improvement Project for city streets. Fletcher and Modzelewski addressed the council during a discussion at a special workshop of the McAlester City Council held Tuesday evening in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Staff photo by KEVIN HARVISON
From left, Ward 1 McAlester City Councilor Weldon Smith listens to McAlester Public Works Director and City Engineer John Modzelewski as he outlines priorities for the city’s Street Reconstruction Project. Modzelewski presented details of the plan during a special workshop of the city council conducted Tuesday in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Staff photo by KEVIN HARVISON
From left, Ward 5 City Councilor Buddy Garvin, Ward 4 Councilor Robert Karr and Mayor Steve Harrison make room for a slide presentation of the city’s planned Street Reconstruction Project during a special workshop held in the Council Chambers at City Hall on Tuesday evening. City Manager Pete Stasiak and others vacated their chairs so as not to obscure the presentation. Staff photo by KEVIN HARVISON

September 26, 2012

Council approves priorities for Street Construction Project

By James Beaty Senior Editor The McAlester News-Capital Wed Sep 26, 2012, 05:07 AM CDT

McALESTER — McAlester city councilors looked over plans for proposed 2012 Capital Improvement Projects on Tuesday evening, but most of the projects are expected to be implemented only if voters pass a bond refinancing issue on November 6.

Following a presentation during a special 5 p.m. workshop held in the Council Chambers at City Hall, city councilors voted unanimously to accept the city staff’s recommendation for priorities for the proposed Street Reconstruction Project.

City Engineer and Public Works Director John Modzelewski presented details of the plan, with an assist from Project Engineer Ben Fletcher, of the engineering firm Meshek & Associates.

Modzelewski presented the plan as the city’s Proposed 2012 CIP Projects.

The plan includes street reconstruction of designated arterial and collector streets in the city, designated as such by the city’s Inclement Weather Street Clearing Map, or the streets which are prioritized have ice cleared from them first in case of icy weather.

“We took the inclement weather street maps we had,” Modzelewski told the city councilors during the meeting.

Referring to the streets which have been prioritized, Modzelewski said “It’s pretty much the arterial and collector streets. That’s pretty much the basis for choosing these.”

He elaborated a bit more by adding “we’re looking at City Hall, schools, these kinds of things.”

In addition to street rehabilitation, work would also likely be conducted on the infrastructure underneath as well, which could include water lines, for example.

“It doesn’t make much sense to go in and rip up the roads without looking at what’s underneath,” Modzelewski said.

Under the plan, streets or portions of streets on the city’s north, south, east and west sides would be included.

Asked about a timeline for when construction could start, Fletcher, of Meshek & Associates, said, with bidding procedures and matters included, “we’ll be looking at probably something could begin in March.”

Although the city staff has worked on a proposed $12 million project, including all nine proposals initially submitted would cost an estimated $20 million and cover 11.39 lane miles.

Modzelewski said during the meeting that because of some adjustments, the number would be closer to 13 miles.

City Manager Pete Stasiak noted during a break between meetings Tuesday evening that eliminating the eighth and ninth phases of the proposal, if necessary, would drop the cost back into the $12 million range.

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