Julie Yates
The City of Pryor is applying for another grant for sidewalks through Grand Gateway.
Tami McKeon, Community Development Block Grant Director from Grand Gateway Economic Development Authority, addressed Pryor about a grant for the city’s capital improvements plan.
McKeon said one of the priorities in the CIP is to get the city compliant with the Americans with Disablities Act, which includes sidewalks.
Grand Gateway is applying for $150,000 in federal grant funding, for a total project cost of $218,000.
If the city receives the grant, new ADA compliant sidewalks would be installed along Graham Avenue and other sections of street throughout town. McKeon explained the city needs to get current sidewalk handicap accessible before adding new sidewalks.
“My concern is our streets are a mess right now,” said Councilman Drew Stott.
McKeon said the sidewalks project is part of the goal to get the city ADA compliant. She said the application deadline is March 26. She said the last sidewalk project was completed within 10 months.
“It is noteworthy how fast it went,” she said. “ADA accessibility is vitally important.”
Stott said he would rather see the city put in sidewalks where there are none instead of tearing out and replacing the current sidewalks.
“The sidewalks that are in the list downtown are in bad shape,” stated Jared Crisp of DeShazo, Tang & Associates.
“Unfortunately, believe it or not, $218,000 does not go that far on these projects,” McKeon said. She said city improvements must be done in phases.
Crisp gave the following list of sidewalks to be replaced, along with the approximate length of sidewalk replaced:
• North Adair in front of city hall to Northeast First – 450 feet, west side only
• South Adair in front of Adair Street Market – 99 feet, west side only
• South Adair, from post office to Southeast First – 205 feet, east side only
• Southeast First from Adair to Vann – 325 feet, south side only
• section of Graham Avenue, south of commercial building off Vann – 55 feet, west side only
• section along Graham in front of tag office to the Methodist church – 105 feet, south side only
• section along Graham, from Rowe to Century 21 – 145 feet, north side only
• Coo-Y-Yah Street from Graham to Park – 1,300 feet, east side only
• Payne Street off South Elliott by Locke Supply – 950 feet, west side only
Millett and Heidi O’Connell are providing a drainage easement to the City of Pryor at the Southridge Fourth Addition. The city is also acquiring a drainage easement from Christopher W. and Kimberly D. Harrison.
Terracon Consultants, Inc. will provide the city with construction materials engineering and testing for streets on an “as needed” basis.
The city is reimbursing Pryor Youth Baseball Organization $8,480.85 from hotel/motel grant funds.
Kimberly Shreffler resigned her child watch position at Pryor Creek Recreation Center.
