The Edmond Sun

Local News

Related Photos

  • MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN Ray Hasselwander and Tami Hasselwander carry a mirror out from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Thursday afternoon. The church held a household item giveaway for victims of the June 14 flash flooding. MARK SCHLACHENHAUFEN

    flood A.jpg

  • MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN Ray Hasselwander and Tami Hasselwander load a piece of furniture at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Thursday afternoon. The church held a household item giveaway for victims of the June 14 flash flooding. MARK SCHLACHENHAUFEN

    flood B.jpg

  • MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN Ray Hasselwander and Jimmy Mock load a piece of furniture Thursday afternoon for area resident Rachel Lee at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. The church held a household item giveaway for victims of the June 14 flash flooding. MARK SCHLACHENHAUFEN

    flood C.jpg

Discussion

August 5, 2010

Chisholm Creek bridge could be open by Jan. 1

Mark Schlachtenhaufen The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — One of Edmond’s bridges damaged by the recent flash flooding, the Chisholm Creek bridge on Covell near Western Avenue, should be open by Jan. 1, possibly earlier, if all goes well, sources said.

On June 14, up to 12 inches of rain fell on the city in a few hours, causing flash flooding that damaged several bridges, forcing several to be closed.

The same firm that worked on the emergency repair of the I-40 collapsed bridge over the Arkansas River at Webbers Falls in 2002, Poe & Associates, has been working on the Chisholm Creek bridge design. In that project, the firm completed repair plans in 12 days, and construction was completed in 47 days.

Tim Purkeypile, who worked on the Webbers Falls bridge design, said depending on the bidding process, if steel beams arrive by Sept. 1, construction could be completed in about one month on the Edmond bridge. Design plans have been finalized and submitted to the city, Purkeypile said.

Herb Blomquist, Edmond’s Public Works director, said the city has not let a bid yet, partly because the city is talking to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation about funding options. Project information was sent out to five potential contractors and the city has received replies from two, which were fairly good, Blomquist said.

In the contract, the city will stipulate that the contractor will be assessed a penalty if the project is not completed within 45 days, Blomquist said. His estimate for completion of the project is before the first of the year, perhaps by Dec. 1.

Purkeypile said repair work will include replacing concrete beams with steel beams, installing a new concrete deck and new traffic rails compliant with federal specifications.

“You’re gonna drive across that bridge and see a new bridge from the top,” Purkeypile said.

Purkeypile estimated that once the bridge is repaired, its lifespan will be 25 years or more.

Last month, the City Council approved spending $55,000 for emergency bridge repair work required after June’s flash floods.

In addition to the Chisholm Creek bridge, only one section of city streets damaged by the flash flooding remains closed — a stretch of Paddock Lane west of Bryant Avenue and north of 33rd Street, Blomquist said. The storm sewer issue should be resolved in about a week, he said.



marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 108

Text Only
Local News