Owasso approves utility relocation agreement and ODOT supplemental for 106th/129th intersection project

Dwayne Henderson, project manager, explained that the East 106th Street North and North 129th East Avenue intersection improvement requires relocation of private utilities and rural water district lines. He said the rural water district requested betterments — upgrades beyond straight relocation — that total $196,043. Under the negotiated agreement, Rural Water District No. 3 will pay 50% of the betterment upfront and 50% at project completion when record drawings are provided; the city will relocate water lines in the city’s right of way and the district will reimburse the betterment costs.

Henderson told the council that ODOT increased its construction participation earlier in the year and will fund up to 80% of construction costs, but ODOT policy does not allow state funds to pay for betterments; ODOT also identified an omission that required adding $196,000 in betterments and additional construction administration fees back into the agreement. As a result, staff said the supplemental and modification agreement with ODOT (Agreement No. 2) requires the city to authorize payment of $226,884 from the capital improvement fund to cover the updated local share. Henderson said the funding is available in the capital improvement fund and that rural water district has approved the reimbursement arrangement.

Councilors asked about what the betterments covered and the interaction with ODOT funding; Henderson said the betterments include upsizing a 6‑inch line to 12 inches and installing an additional new 12‑inch line. Council approved the utility relocation agreement and authorized execution of the supplemental ODOT agreement and the estimated payment to ODOT.