You might remember that early last winter, when it was warm enough you could still stand to be outside, we had a groundbreaking at the Okmulgee Business Complex. At the groundbreaking I said it won’t be too long before someone asks: “when’s the work going to start.” Well it finally happened. A local resident spotted me at a meeting, walked up and asked, “when are the big earth movers going to start working?” Fair enough. Let’s do an update.
Within days after the groundbreaking, the survey was completed, then the elevation measurements and computations were put together. Then the “wetlands” study. That’s where you pay an environmental engineering company a lot of money to walk around on your property for a few days, then write a report on all the flora and fauna. Basically, we don’t have any endangered species, special plants, or three eyed frogs. Then we’re told that the US Army Corp of Engineers has decided to “rewrite” the wetland’s rules and regulations.
So the cool engineering drawings could all be done in about ninety days, or the Corp of Engineers comes up with even more ways for us to spend our grant money. So if the engineering drawings are done by the end of June, then comes the preparation of the bid packets and the bids from the construction companies. So sometime in late September or early October you could see some earth movers pushing dirt into our future.
So much for the east side of the railroad tracks.
On our north border is Fairgrounds Road. Thanks to our fellow Okmulgee citizens at the Muscogee Nation, they are going to support this development with an all new Fairgrounds Road! As the plan now stands there will be two lanes running both east and west, with turn lanes. So the big trucks and employees can easily get into and out of the industrial park. And everyone that goes to the athletic games and tournaments and festivals will have a better road in and out of the Festival Grounds. Construction on Fairgrounds Road will begin shortly after the construction plans and permits are completed to the City’s specifications. The plan is for a new Fairgrounds Road to be under construction in 2023. WTG Muscogee Nation!
The west side of the railroad tracks also has a budget. The OADC has to have another engineering study done and plans drawn up to submit to the State of Oklahoma. I really think we could end up with both sides of the tracks being remodeled into a modern industrial park within the next 12 to 14 months. Keep your fingers crossed.
So there you have it. The latest on the Okmulgee Business Complex. That was about as exciting as finding out the big earthmovers are still at least 4 months away. Have a great spring!