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Council approves $500,000 request from drainage advisory committee to rebuild failing Liberty Trail retaining wall
Summary
Council approved using Proposition 6 general obligation bond funds to rebuild a long, failing retaining wall along Liberty Trail that sits on Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) property but supports the city trail. Staff described structural failure and a plan for a cantilever wall designed to minimize work on OTA property.
Charlie Bridal, director of engineering construction, briefed the council on a recommendation from the Drainage Advisory Committee to allocate Proposition 6 (2018 GO bond) funds to replace a failing retaining wall that supports Liberty Trail between Elm and New Orleans/Aspen.
Bridal said the wall, which he estimated at about 800 to 1,000 feet in length, has failed in multiple spots and appears to have lost the geogrid that originally provided structural reinforcement. The trail and wall sit on Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) property; Bridal said the city does not own the land but is the applicant for repair funds because the city maintains the trail and can perform the construction on private property with appropriate agreements.
Bridal described an in-house design for a cantilever wall that will be built to minimize impact on the OTA side of the fence so the city can avoid significant work in the turnpike right-of-way. He said staff has already had initial conversations with OTA and expect them to cooperate, although he added OTA has not agreed to contribute funds.
Because of site access challenges, Bridal estimated construction costs at $500,000 for budgeting purposes while saying the actual typical contractor cost might be closer to $300,000; he said restricted access (difficulty getting concrete trucks directly to the work area) and other workability factors increase expected cost. Bridal told council the goal is to have bid-ready plans this winter and begin construction in late winter or early spring with the trail open next spring if the project proceeds as planned.
Councilor motioned to approve the DAC recommendation; a second was recorded and the council took a roll-call vote. The motion passed. Staff said any unused bond funds from the appropriation would revert to Proposition 6 for other eligible uses; no OTA contribution was confirmed.
