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Edmond staff outline $75–$100 million plan to finish Covell Corridor, ask board for prioritization
Summary
City engineers presented crash and pavement data showing heavy traffic on Covell and recommended studying a full reconstruction (concrete) for long‑term savings; preliminary costs: $75–80 million construction plus $15–20 million for right‑of‑way and utilities, with the 2027 CIP sales tax cited as a potential funding source.
City engineering staff urged the Capital Improvements Project Advisory Board to weigh whether Edmond should prioritize a full rebuild of the Covell Corridor, citing high traffic volumes, crash concentration at several intersections and long‑term pavement costs.
Steve Lawrence, director of engineering, told the board the corridor has daily peak volumes exceeding 22,000–25,000 vehicles at key intersections such as Covell & Santa Fe, Covell & Bryant and Covell & Coltrane and that the pavement has required resurface work about every eight years. "We're seeing that a lot of our crashes are on Covell," Lawrence said, and staff are preparing a cost‑benefit analysis comparing reconstruction with heavy pavement (concrete) against repeated resurfacing.
Lawrence gave round‑number estimates to rebuild the I‑35 to Santa Fe section: roughly $75–80 million for construction and another $15–20 million for right‑of‑way acquisition, engineering and utility relocations. He said the city’s proposed 2027 CIP sales tax is conservatively expected to generate about $110–120 million and could be used to prioritize the corridor. "One of the ideas was to look at this 2027 CIP sales tax that's dedicated 100% for roads and look at that and see if we want to move forward with prioritizing Covell and just get it done," he said.
Board members pressed staff on technical and programmatic issues that could affect the choice of pavement: truck percentage of traffic, the pavement management index, life‑cycle costs and phasing to avoid crippling simultaneous construction on other major corridors. A board member asked whether staff have counts for heavy trucks; Lawrence said current traffic counters distinguish truck share and staff will bring detailed truck‑traffic data in the next briefing.
Staff and a separate presenter noted recent market changes between asphalt and concrete prices. "Some of the world events in the last six months have changed that where it's actually pretty close in cost," said another staff member discussing resurfacing plans, adding that FY27 overlay work will use concrete in several locations. The board also discussed roundabouts and coordination outside Edmond; Lawrence said Oklahoma County and ODOT have plans for roundabouts on sections of Covell outside the city and the city is designing roundabouts where appropriate.
No formal decision was taken; staff said they will return next month with a cost‑benefit analysis, truck‑traffic breakdowns and estimated per‑mile costs so the board can give direction about whether and how to prioritize Covell in the 8‑year plan.
The board’s next scheduled update on the corridor was set for the following month.
