Design work to begin on drainage project
Flooding along SE 15th St. near Hiwassee during a storm in August. Photo by Jeff Harrison
Midwest City approves contract for SE 15th St. and Hiwassee drainage upgrades
By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon
Efforts to address flooding issues near SE 15th St. and Hiwassee Rd. took a step forward last week.
Midwest City and Choctaw are partnering to rebuild the stormwater drainage system that runs underneath SE 15th St., just west of Hiwassee Rd.
Last week, Midwest City leaders awarded a design contract for the project. Johnson & Associates was awarded the $115,500 contract during a city council meeting. The design firm was involved in the project early in the process to develop estimates and a preliminary design, said Brandon Bundy, director of engineering and construction services.
The agreement will allow Johnson & Associates to complete the design plans necessary to bid on the project including easement acquisition, water and sewer plans, associated paving, and associated stormwater improvements.
Bundy said the design work will take about six to nine months to complete.
“We don’t have everything figured out yet, but it’ll probably be six to nine months at the earliest,” Bundy said. “It won’t be under construction this spring.”
Last year, the municipalities were awarded $3.2 million in federal funding from the EPA with help from Rep. Tom Cole’s office. The project includes a 20% match of $800,000 which will be split between Midwest City and Choctaw.
“Terri Craft (grant manager) helped us get an EPA grant,” Bundy said. “We’re really excited about it. It took us a while to get through the red tape and we’re ready to move forward with it.”
The current drainage consists of a 36-inch corrugated metal pipe that carries water from south to north into a tributary of Choctaw Creek.
The single pipe serves 600 acres of drainage basin, to the south, including several housing additions. The current system is undersized and frequently causes flooding on SE 15th St. and damage to the roadway.
Officials expect to replace the current drainage with three concrete box culverts (20 feet-by-6-feet).
The section of SE 15th St. is a boundary between Midwest City and Choctaw.
