Construction for the James Garner Avenue Phase 2-Acres Street to Flood Avenue Project Begins Monday

Beginning Monday, March 6, 2023, the Norman Forward project to extend James Garner Avenue from Acres Street, North to Flood Avenue will commence construction.  The beginning phase of construction will not require lane closures on Flood Avenue or Robinson Street at this time.  However, Hayes Street, Mosier Street, Himes Street, and Johnson Street west of the BNSF Railroad will be dead end streets until further notice.  Please watch for announcements for future traffic impacts, which will be posted to the City of Norman website at normanok.gov.

 

HISTORY OF THE PROJECT

On October 13, 2015, Norman Voters approved the $150 million, 15-year, Norman Forward Sales Tax initiative.  The program outlined various citywide projects to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Norman.  One of these projects is the James Garner Avenue – Acres Street to Flood Avenue project.  The current construction cost for the project is approximately $7.9 million.  Of that, approximately $4.8 million, will be paid from federal grant funds, and the remainder will be paid with Norman Forward Funds. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation conducted a bid opening on October 20, 2022, for the James Garner Avenue Norman Forward Project.  The low bidder was Redlands Contracting, LLC of Warr Acres, Oklahoma.  ODOT awarded the project on November 7, 2022.  This project has a 460-calendar day construction schedule, which will likely result in summer 2024 completion.  The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is administering the construction of this project, with the assistance of Smith Roberts Baldischwiler. 

 

Proposed improvements for the James Garner Phase 2 Norman Forward Project include:

 

  • Construction of a new roadway extension of James Garner Avenue beginning from just north of Acres Street adjacent to the Norman Municipal Library and extending north of Robinson Street to connect to Flood Avenue.
  • New multilane roundabout intersection between the Flood Avenue and the new James Garner extension
  • A new vehicular and pedestrian bridge over Robinson Street with aesthetics honoring James Garner as the roadway’s namesake.         
  • Reconstruction and extension of the Legacy Trail with improved pedestrian lighting.
  • Low Impact Development such as plantings and landscaping in the roadway medians and at bridge abutments to filter runoff and help prevent erosion.
  • Reconfigured connections between local streets from Johnson Street to Himes Street.
  • Decorative roadway lighting and landscaping.

 

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