|
Flooding is again on table at Bryant |
|
|
Monday, 30 March 2009 |
Bryant City Council will discuss the creation of a stormwater management program during a called meeting today.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at Boswell Municipal Complex, 210 SW Third St.
Public Works Director Richard Penn and Mayor Larry Mitchell informed aldermen during a March 12 meeting that the stormwater program is mandated by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.
Penn said the program is about stormwater “quality and not quantity,” and that City Attorney Nga Mahfouz is reviewing the final version of the document outlining the program.
The program the city will consider already is in use in Hot Springs and Maumelle and other parts of Garland and Pulaski counties, Penn said.
Several aldermen said previously that the program could help prevent future flooding issues similar to the ones that have plagued the city.
Bryant has battled flooding issues for more than 10 years, and in January 2007, the city hired FTN and Associates of Little Rock to conduct a watershed study in particular neighborhoods.
FTN, an environmental consulting firm, is charged with determining what should be done to improve stormwater drainage in Forest Cove, Sunset Mead-ows, West Pointe, Springhill Acres, Springhill Manor, Sherwood Estates and Northridge subdivisions.
A final report from FTN determined that the best way to control flooding in certain areas is to replace the box culverts on the Arkansas 5 bridge near Larry’s Pizza.
Penn said all the other projects in the plan are impacted by this bridge. The city asked the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to take swift action to upgrade the Arkansas 5 crossing.
However. in April 2008, storms caused major flooding and the city was declared a federal disaster area. The council then enacted an emergency action project called Operation Flood Relief. The city has since been taking steps for both short-term and long-term solutions to flooding problems.
The city also hired McClelland Consulting En-gineers Inc. of Little Rock to redesign the Arkansas 5 bridge and replace culverts. Penn said the highway department has final approval on the project.
The plan also includes building a temporary road around the Arkansas 5 bridge during the construction process at an estimated cost of $144,500.
Penn originally planned to begin construction at the bridge at the end of last year, but was first held up by the relocation of an AT&T line.
At the March 12 council meeting, Penn said the highway department informed the city that it needs a permit for rights-of-way purchases.
“Upon purchase of rights-of-way by the city, the [highway department] will release drawings that have been in the final form for several weeks,” Penn said.
“Bid documents will then be finalized and we will advertise once per week for two consecutive weeks. After we get the bids, the council must approve the bid, we’ll give the company two weeks to get things together and then construction can start.”
Bids could be announced as early as today’s meeting.
In other business, the council is expected to approve fire department job descriptions for firefighter, lieutenant, captain and battalion chief.
The human resources department also is expected to ask for approval of certificate pay.
|
Razorbacks
