City Council to consider launching construction, engineering work for new projects

City Council members will be finalizing a list of engineering design and construction projects today, with projects ranging from long-awaited upgrades to East Side and Lee West parks, to new waterlines in north and south Lawton neighborhoods.

Council action will include amendments to an existing contract with GH2 Architects, designated by the council earlier this year to craft schematics for East Side Park on East Gore Boulevard and Lee West Park on Southwest 67th Street, illustrating plans to add splash pads, new parking lots, restrooms and sidewalks at each. That existing $45,400 conceptual design contract would be expanded to allow for design development and construction documents, bidding and construction phase services, bringing the new contract to $147,450.

City officials have said the work is part of their plan to expand recreational amenities across the city.

Council members also will consider amending a second existing agreement with GH2 Architects, allowing the firm to do design development, construction documents, bidding and constructional phase services for the animal welfare facility planned in south Lawton. That project will be adding a new intake facility and renovating the existing building, creating separate facilities for animals ready to be adopted and those being held for evaluation. That work will bring the total design contract for the firm to $483,900.

The council also will be asked to finalize construction contracts with Southwest Water Works LLC and Stampede Utility Construction LLC, for two waterline replacement projects.

Southwest Water Works has a $7.649 million contract to install new 6-inch, 8-inch and 12-inch waterlines in an area south of Lincoln Boulevard and north of Cache Road, North Sheridan Road to Fort Sill Boulevard. Stampede Utility Construction has a $6.425 million contract to replace 8-inch and 12-inch waterlines in an area south of Gore Boulevard, between Southwest 38th and Southwest 52nd streets.

Both projects are being funded via a revolving loan from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

In other business, the council will consider accepting a $270,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to help cover the cost of a preliminary engineering report on a project centered on a deteriorating taxiway at Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport. The funding will cover all but $30,000 of the estimated $300,000 cost of that report. The City of Lawton, as the airport’s sponsoring agency, must vote to accept the grant.

The project is designed to improve the layout and condition of key areas at the airport, Airport Director Barbara McNally said. Taxiway F connects the main runway to the airport terminal, and that area does not meet FAA standards, McNally told her governing board. In addition, an area where aircraft park is overcrowded and showing signs of wear. The preliminary engineering report will identify the best ways to fix those issues and bring facilities up to FAA standards, while expanding or repairing the terminal’s concrete apron to better handle military aircraft and other large aircraft.

The report will provide the data needed for preliminary designs and analysis, McNally said.