City Commissioners will consider awarding a $1.48 million contract for a drainage project during their Nov. 1 meeting.

City staff is recommending that commissioners approved the contract to Ed Boland Construction for a downtown drainage improvement project.

There have been increasing short duration, high intensity rain events, resulting in flooding in the city in recent years, according to staff.

City considering contract for updated stormwater master plan

One of the problem areas for flooding has been the downtown area of Central Avenue and 2nd, 4th and 5th Streets South, according to staff.

“The increase in flooding frequency triggered multiple complaints from downtown businesses. Business and building owners expressed concerns with damage caused by water flooding the basements and lower levels of their facilities,” according to city staff.

The city had previously retained Great West Engineering to perform a basin study for the project area, which included assessments of the existing storm drainage piping.

Commission to consider amendment to downtown plan for drainage projects

The study helped to identify system deficiencies and make recommendations for improvements to the storm drainage network that will help reduce the duration and amount of future flooding, according to staff.

The proposed project area is along 3rd Street South and extends from 4th Avenue South to 2nd Avenue South; along 3rd Avenue South from 3rd Street South to 4th Street South; and along 2nd Avenue South from 3rd Street South to 5th Street South.

The project will involve adding storm drain inlets, increasing underground pipe capacity, and better conveying storm water to the Missouri River, according to staff.

The Downtown Development Partnership voted in June to recommend support for the project and amending the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan document. The city planning board also voted to recommend approval of updating the DURP.

City considering amendment of downtown plan for drainage projects

Over the summer, the City Commission approved the amendment and the storm drain improvement projects.

The contract being considered will implement the first phase of improvements recommended in the study and includes:

• installing 293 lineal feet of 12-inch PVC storm drain;
• 946 lineal feet of 18-inch PVC storm drain;
• 380 lineal feet of 18-inch DR25 C900 PVC storm drain;
• 512 lineal feet of 54-inch RCP storm drain;
• 24 lineal feet of 40-inch by 65-inch RCPA storm drain;
• nine concrete manholes;
• three Type 1 curb inlets, and
• two hydrodynamic stormwater separators.

The city received two bids for the project ranging from $1,483,052 to $1,487,693.

Ed Boland Construction submitted the low bid.

The project has been selected, prioritized, and executed under the the public works capital improvement program.

The project was included in the 2023 budget within the storm drain utility enterprise fund and will use state ARPA funds, city storm drain funds and downtown tax increment financing funds.