Main Street recommends scaled ‘Plan A’ for downtown streetscape; ODOT to bid project

Main Street representatives told the Pryor Creek Street Committee that the group recommends a scaled option — “Plan A” — for the downtown streetscape that reduces bulb-outs, limits irrigation and landscaping, and uses mast-arm traffic signals instead of pedestal lights.

The recommendation matters because Plan A is intended to preserve the most on-street parking and lower ongoing maintenance costs while still advancing pedestrian and safety improvements. Main Street said the committee vote favored Plan A after a town-hall review and a separate street-committee meeting.

Miss Bridal, speaking for Main Street, summarized the choice: “Overall, the votes were for Plan A, which ... is the reduced bulb outs, the mast-arm traffic lights, and the reduced irrigation and landscaping.” She told the committee that the reduced landscaping and smaller bulb-outs would affect the least number of parking spaces and lower ongoing maintenance demands.

Bridal said the project’s total cost before the most recent reengineering work was $942,206. She said the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has signaled it will provide $105,000 to offset the cost of mast-arm signals and that the Economic Development and Tourism Authority (EDTA) already approved $38,200 for reengineering from Fund 68. Bridal also said the project previously received a TAP grant of $652,864 and a prior-match package totaling $289,342 made up of a TSEC grant (about $102,000), in-kind contributions and other local funds; the remainder would come from Fund 608.

Bridal told the committee ODOT will be responsible for bidding and administering the construction contract: “ODOT will bid it, ODOT will control it, and then they’ll pay the vendors directly.” She said ODOT’s involvement means the city will not have to provide upfront cash flow for vendor payments and that ODOT will send invoices for any local match.

Committee members asked about business-owner input. Bridal said owners were invited to town-hall and coffee-and-commerce events but attendance at those in-person meetings was limited; she said staff and volunteers met individually with some owners and that parking-count concerns informed design changes.

On schedule, Bridal said the project will start with a single block — the intersection identified as Phase 1 — and later continue east along Graham Avenue in additional phases, contingent on funding. She reported ODOT had told the town the timeline from planning to start can be long: “It’ll be about 5 years from beginning to start,” she said, and ODOT said it is “not abnormal for these to take up to 10 years.”

The street committee did not formally vote on the item at the meeting; Bridal said the next step would be for the committee to take the recommendation to city council for final approval so staff can request ODOT’s 100% plan approval and a subsequent bid process.

Committee members asked staff to include the cost document in the meeting minutes and encouraged Main Street to continue outreach to downtown businesses. Bridal said the EDTA-funded reengineering is already paid from Fund 68 and reiterated that final bid prices will determine the ultimate construction cost.

If city council approves the recommendation, Bridal said the town would submit the project to ODOT for final plans and bidding.