Rogers Aldermen OK Street Contracts

MONTE NE ROAD TO BE WIDENED

— Aldermen on Tuesday approved contracts for engineering three major street improvement.

Improvement to Monte Ne Road will likely displace some homes and businesses when it’s built, Lance Jobe, city project engineer, said Tuesday afternoon.

Monte Ne Road will be widened to four lanes between New Hope Road and Arkansas Street. The project is being designed in sections by two engineering firms.

Garver LLC was awarded a $372,300 contract for Monte Ne Road between New Hope Road and Gum Street.

McGoodwin, Williams and Yates was awarded a $483,042 contract to move and widen Monte Ne Road from Gum Street to Arkansas Street.

Jobe said moving Monte Ne Road will be more difficult because the city will have buy some homes and a couple of businesses along the route.

“This is a major redevelopment of that section of town,” Jobe said.

Aldermen also approved a $198,640 contract with CEI Engineering to widen First Street between Olrich and Arkansas streets. The contract also calls for some improvement to the entrance to Veterans Park. The three projects are being paid for with money from the 2007 bond fund.

The projects have been on the master plan for a couple of years.

While the engineering for the projects is being paid for by previous bonds, construction is tied to the proposed 2011 bond election. The city is not expected call for the bond election until this summer. Public meetings will be held to hear from residents along Monte Ne Road and First Street during the engineering process, Jobe said.

Mayor Greg Hines made his first State of the City address Tuesday before the council meeting.

“Rogers has a great history of charting our own course, plowing new ground, and embracing change. This has made us a leader in the state, and a model for others to follow,” Hines said.

He said he plans for the city to stay on the same course and continue to work to better the future of the city and its residents.

At A Glance

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Rogers City Council:

Authorized a $78,410 contract with ETI for the installation of equipment furnished by Rhythm Engineers for traffic light synchronization.

Designated the section of Walnut Street from Eighth to Second streets and the section of Second Street from Walnut to Locust streets as “Old Scenic Highway 12.”

Authorized a $41,414 change to a contract with APAC Center for the Olive/28th Street bridge project.

Appropriated $40,000 from airport reserve to settlement a lawsuit, City of Rogers v. Lemore Industries. Lemore Industries has several years left on the 25-year lease of city land. The $40,000 will be added to the original $115,000 offer, making the lease buy-out $155,000. The property is needed for a runway extension.

Approved $121,501 from general funds reserve to pay for repair to a Fire Department ambulance. The ambulance was involved in an accident last year.

Authorized the fire chief to move a reserve ambulance to the NEBCO Volunteer Fire Department.

Annexed 5 acres at 1926 S. M St.

Accepted a section of Arkansas Highway and Transportation right of way along Horsebarn Road as city right of way.

Source: Staff Report

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