Broken Arrow turns to trenchless lining for City Hall sewer rehabilitation

Broken Arrow turns to trenchless lining for City Hall sewer rehabilitationThe Broken Arrow Municipal Authority has been told that sewer rehabilitation behind City Hall will use cured-in-place pipe technology rather than excavation and replacement. The work is intended to extend the life of existing lines while reducing disturbance in the downtown alley network.

The rehabilitation route will run from East College Street through alleyways between Main Street and First Street, continuing south on Fort Worth.

Contractor In-Situ Form will install and cure an epoxy-based liner inside the existing sewer pipe, followed by robotic reopening of existing pipe connections.

The utility has already completed sewer work in alleys on the west side of City Hall, where businesses had been affected.

Some work will take place overnight, between 9pm and 7am, over approximately one block.

The authority also approved its FY2027 Annual Utility Stock Items Agreement, awarding each item to the bidder offering the lowest unit price.

Broken Arrow is set to rehabilitate sewer lines behind City Hall through a trenchless cured-in-place pipe programme, avoiding the excavation and replacement of the existing assets in downtown alleyways. The City Manager told the Broken Arrow Municipal Authority on 15 September that the next phase of sewer work will extend from East College Street through the alleys between Main Street and First Street, then continue south on Fort Worth. In-Situ Form is the contractor named for the work. The company will install an epoxy-based liner within the existing sewer pipe and cure it in place. A robotic cutting machine will then reopen the existing pipe connections. The City Manager described the approach as a less intrusive means of addressing the lines and extending their life. The authority was told that rehabilitation work had already been completed in the alleys west of City Hall, an area selected first because of the number of affected businesses. The City Manager said the utility and engineering and construction departments had managed the extensive underground utility network in the alleyways and that the completed alleys "look incredible." The forthcoming phase will include night work between 9pm and 7am across approximately one block. Staff said the work is being planned to avoid upsetting businesses and to allow paving in the affected areas at a later stage. Separately, the authority approved the FY2027 Annual Utility Stock Items Agreement through its consent agenda. Under Bid No. 27.104, each vendor will receive awards for the items on which it submitted the lowest unit price. The authority also approved two FY2027 budget amendments, although no values or project allocations were discussed in the meeting transcript.