Design contract signed for Innovation District

A primary infrastructure design contract for the Innovation District has been signed following a unanimous vote of the Broken Arrow Economic Development Authority on Jan. 17.

The City is working with architecture and engineering firm BKL, Inc. to develop and design infrastructure plans that will provide access for the area south of Florence Street, between Olive Avenue and Aspen Avenue, at a cost of $757,750.?

The design agreement includes a plan to construct a new four-lane roadway extending Florence Street?southward.

"The design of a four-lane road section from Florence Street through the Innovation District will be our main arterial roadway for the project," said Director of Engineering and Construction Ethan Edwards. "It will have an interior connection going west to the flood plain, which we will cross in a future phase."

Other improvements that will be a part of the plans include:

• A traffic signal on Florence Street
• The addition of a right turn lane along the south side of Florence Street
• Landscaping
• Irrigation
• A gateway at the Florence Street intersection
• Curb and gutter
• An enclosed storm sewer system
• A sidewalk and trail
• A water line
• A sanitary sewer line with a lift station
• Street lighting

The plans will also identify necessary right-of-way and easement needs and aid in utility relocation coordination.

"These plans will include all of the core infrastructure necessary for the Innovation District," Edwards said.

Funding for the design package comes from the 2018 General Obligation Bond and the federal government's American Rescue Act Funds (ARPA).

Assistant City Manager Kenny Schwab said the stormwater flow in relation to the land, known as hydrology, will also be addressed.?

"If there are any detention requirements, we're going to try and offset some of that in Elam Park across the street to the east," Schwab said.

Incorporated in the design will be a way to use the water runoff as a water feature in the new park.

City Manager Michael Spurgeon expressed the importance of addressing the hydrology needs first.

"That's going to set the stage for a lot of what we do, so we need to have that done first," he said.

Planning with such intricacies takes time. Spurgeon encouraged the Broken Arrow Economic Development Authority to move forward with the contract so that the infrastructure will be in place to assist with the recruitment of businesses into the Innovation District.

"We're still going to be flexible in what this could look like, but we need to get the process started," Spurgeon said.

Edwards anticipates having a construction bid package?ready before the end of 2023.