Campus Corner pilot program for retractable bollards is likely

Apr. 7—University of Oklahoma football fans could see a new method of traffic control on Campus Corner this fall.

Norman's Business and Community Affairs Committee on Thursday resumed discussions about an alternative to concrete barricades used for road closures during festivals and OU football games.

Michigan-based company Post Guard is a manufacturer of vertical posts called bollards used to close roads. The retractable carbon steel posts are installed into holes in the ground, and can be pulled up for street closings. Bollards can only be manipulated with a key, and when retracted the flat top is flush with the ground and locked.

David Riesland, transportation engineer for the city of Norman, returned Thursday to give a second presentation on the bollards, examining what the program can and can't do before the council-led committee.

"It will introduce maintenance issues that we haven't had before, because anytime something goes up and down, there's opportunities for debris to penetrate the whole could make it hard for them to be raised or lowered," he said.

Riesland said the bollards offer safety not afforded by the standard concrete barricade, and they allow pedestrians of all abilities to easily maneuver through the streets where they're used.

Potential locations for the bollards include Asp Avenue south of White Street, Asp Avenue north of Boyd Street, Buchanan Avenue north of Boyd Street and both the southern and eastern portions of Buchanan Avenue south of White Street.

Last month, the committee pointed out that bollard installation could save on traffic control costs. On Thursday, however, Riesland said it would not.

According to the presentation, the first expenditure would involve preparation of the streets, with an estimated cost of just over $78,000. The cost of the bollards is more than $21,000.

Riesland said if the city were to add a second closure on Buchanan Avenue and White Street, the project cost would be closer to $125,000.

The committee said the project would need to be added as an amendment to the FYE 2024 budget.

City Council member Matt Peacock, who represents Ward 8, said ideally the city could start the project in July if approved by the city manager and council, with a target completion time ahead of the first OU home football game in September.

Peacock said the next step is to take the plan to a full council study session, adding that he sees the program as a functional and aesthetic improvement.

"A person can't get out of their car and move the (bollards) out of the way just to drive through it," Peacock said.

Ward 7 council member Stephen Tyler Holman and Ward 4 councilor Helen Grant also approve of the project.

"I think that's a pretty reasonable cost, and it has a big impact visually," Holman said. "Being on Campus Corner every gameday, (it allows) foot traffic to better flow through the barricades while still protecting everybody from vehicle traffic"

Norman murals

Erinn Gavaghan, executive director of the Norman Arts Council, gave a presentation Thursday on the future of murals in the city.

According to city code, the definition of "sign" technically includes murals, but Norman historically hasn't required artists to obtain permits for murals under the sign code.

Murals are only referenced in Sec. 2-308: Art in Public Place Program.

Gavaghan said murals are "an excellent way to attract tourism," and have an ability to define a community.

"Different neighborhoods might have different types of murals and the majority of our murals are based around the downtown area right now, but that certainly doesn't mean that they have to be only in the downtown arts district area," she said.

The Norman Arts Council and the Public Arts Committee could administer any murals for public spaces on behalf of the city, but they're working to establish education and support for art on private properties.

Gavaghan said a mural is in the works on the Natural Grocers building, 1918 W. Main St., and ownership contacted her questioning what they could do in accordance with code.

"We told them from our understanding, the mural can't say 'Natural Grocers,' without getting a permit from the city for a sign," she said.

Art on city property requires a selection and approval process.

Gavaghan said the arts council is working with the Norman Economic Development Coalition to plan a mural on the east wall of the Commerce Building on Main Street. The 1,000-square-foot wall would be a $25,000 project.

The arts council is in discussions with the city on an interior mural inside the new development center. While the size of the project is the same, its cost would come in at around $7,000 less, as it wouldn't require scaffolding, among other additional costs, officials said.

Gavaghan said if the hotel tax increase vote passes next month, the arts council could commit a portion of their funding to a mural program, which would include a large permanent mural "somewhere in the community" and a rotating plan for different artists in other locations around the city.

"Ideally we would hope the city could match those funds as well to help create a really robust mural program," she said.

Jeff Elkins covers business, living and community stories for The Transcript. Reach him at jelkins@normantranscript.com or at @JeffElkins12 on Twitter.