City Board approves Broadway improvements, bump-outs planned

The city’s board of directors unanimously approved a contract for parking realignment and pedestrian bump-out improvements on Broadway Street during Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting.

Diamond C Construction Company of Gentry, which completed the Southside Park project for the city, was the lone bid for the $488,845 project. Construction is expected to begin in early January with a target for completion by early April, weather permitting.

“Obviously, the Dogwood Festival is the target there to be able to give them plenty of time

able to give them plenty of time to complete it before then,” said city engineer Justin Bland.

Savings from previous projects that came in under budget would cover the additional cost of the project, which was about $100,000 higher than originally budgeted.

The project is part of the city’s Main Street Siloam Springs Downtown Master Plan. Parking realignment on Broadway won’t specifically add more parking spaces, but the overall master plan project will add 12 parking spaces downtown. It should help “calm down” traffic while the bump-outs will do the same, also making it safer for pedestrians to cross the street by increasing visibility and reducing the distance across the street from more than 50 feet to 22 feet.

To test that the 22-foot space created by the bump-outs was sufficient for two automobiles to pass through simultaneously, city staff used an ambulance and fire truck.

“Ideally, a pedestrian could be protected by the curb and wait for a gap,” Bland said. “This will especially be beneficial to Central Street because it’s kind of notoriously been dangerous to cross because of line of sight. But with this layout, you can actually get out to a curb where you are being protected and then only have to cross 22 feet, which is better than what you’re currently having to traverse.”

A bump-out at the Central and Alpine intersections will include an area where raised landscaping will be installed, and also create places for people to sit. Other bump-outs have similar raised areas where public art can be displayed.

“These will allow for places to sit, eat or drink or for just kind of watching the downtown area,” Bland said. “We hope this will provide an alternative to people who want to go get an ice cream and can sit down and enjoy it without having to leave the downtown area.”

Several bids on other projects also were approved.

• A city lake TAP grant by 81 Construction for $97,165,

• Tahlequah Street improvements by Ellingson Contracting for $267,757,

• 50-50 matching grant to fund fencing around a new dog park for $97,851 by Centerpoint Contractors Inc.

Other approvals on the agenda that were unanimously passed included:

• Revisions to the 2017 budget,

• A budget amendment to the electric department’s 2017 budget to cover a meter test set,

• The renewal of a contract with Benton County for emergency medical services in areas outside of the city limits for $429,047.50.

In addition to first and second readings on proposed ordinances, there also were two resolutions approved for significant development permits related to the new rodeo grounds at 2251 S. Lincoln and for John Brown University’s project at 1450 W. Broadhurst Street.