Tulsa’s river task force whittles the cost for four low-water dams down to $235 million.
The original estimate given last week was $316 million. It came down after some design modifications — Bixby’s curved dam may be straightened and new bedrock samples show it can be shorter — and removing $65 million dollars in public access and recreational improvements.
Consultant Murry Fleming said not all of those can be cut, though.
"If you're going to have a dam, you need at least a roadway to get to it," Fleming said. "You need a parking lot. You have to have the emergency boat ramp. You have to have the power to be able to run the compressors for the gates. If there's any land costs involved, and then the bank stabilization area along that public access area was also embedded."
River task force chair G.T. Bynum said it would then be up to each community to pay for parks and recreational improvements at the dams, except for some at Zink Dam that are part of the structure.
Task force member and county commissioner Karen Keith said those recreational amenities are selling points.
"It's doing all of those that the public can have access to get into these," Keith said. "It's the visuals that will make a difference, and I don't think the public will care when that price comes down. They want access."
The task force is working to finalize a public funding proposal for the dams, which could be on a ballot toward the end of this year.
