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City plans interchange to improve access to prison
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By Kris Hilgedick
khil@newstribune.com
In an effort to provide better access to the Missouri State Penitentiary site, a Jefferson City Council committee on Thursday endorsed plans for improving Whitten Expressway with a complete interchange at the intersection of Lafayette Street and U.S. 50.
The plan also calls for two roundabouts at Clark Avenue.
Lafayette, the street leading back to the penitentiary, would not be five lanes wide - as planners had initially hoped. Instead Lafayette Street would have three lanes.
“Everyone agrees we'd like to see a full interchange,” said Public Works Director Matt Morasch. “We can't really withstand a five-lane road to the prison.”
Five lanes would be too intrusive to the abutting properties.
The diamond-shaped interchange would likely mean the Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church would have to move, staff said.
The council committee also endorsed $4.1 million in street improvements along Capitol Avenue and Lafayette and State streets. Money for the projects would come from local sales tax and state funding.
Two other nearby projects - projected to cost $3.5 million - are not anticipated to go forward right away. One of those projects would extend Chestnut Street to the DNR building; the other, called the “MSP Parkway,” would wind across the prison site.
Morasch said the parkway would be particularly expensive because of grading concerns.
The city already has completed some improvements to Chestnut Street.
Morasch warned a property owner along Cherry Street will be affected when a rise on East Capitol Avenue is “shaved off” and a stop sign is removed.
Also on Thursday, the committee contemplated asking developers of large-scale land tracts to secure letters of credit before they tear into their projects with bulldozers.
The measure is an attempt to prevent further land tracts from being denuded of trees, in the event another large commercial development falters in the way that Schepker Farm did. The site is located at the intersection of Edgewood and Stadium drives.
“I don't want it to happen again,” warned Fourth Ward Councilman Cindy Layton. “I want something on the books so it does not happen again.”
In the event a big project stumbles, enough credit would still be available to ensure a site could be stabilized and grassed over.
In a memo, city attorney Drew Hilpert said he preferred letters of credit to bonds. “Bonding companies do not pay without being sued, and letters of credit are available immediately,” he noted.
Heath Clarkson with the Home Builders Association concurred. “Obviously it's not something I'm ecstatic about,” he said, adding that bonding can be expensive and may be out of the reach of smaller developers.
Third Ward Councilman Jane Smith said she doesn't see the need for the protection on “every two-lot subdivision,” but would like to see some protections provides for larger-scale projects.
Public Works Director Matt Morasch said he's toured the Schepker Farm site with staffers from the Department of Natural Resources. “And they found no violations,” he said.
In other business, the committee:
* Approved an agreement to work with Lincoln University on three projects.
The first would improve Locust Street in order to provide better access to a new dormitory. The city and campus will also work on a roundabout at the intersection of Stadium Drive and Lafayette Streets. And, the city has agreed to help with design work along Chestnut Street to control student parking in the heart of the campus.
* Approved the outline of an agreement with the Stoneridge Village developers. As currently drafted the plan calls for two roundabouts along Stadium Boulevard and includes a Menard's lumberyard.
As part of the agreement, the city is asking the developers to provide certification from “an independent engineering company specializing in roundabout design” that the traffic devices are designed in accordance with established standards.
The plan also calls for two roundabouts at Clark Avenue.
Lafayette, the street leading back to the penitentiary, would not be five lanes wide - as planners had initially hoped. Instead Lafayette Street would have three lanes.
“Everyone agrees we'd like to see a full interchange,” said Public Works Director Matt Morasch. “We can't really withstand a five-lane road to the prison.”
Five lanes would be too intrusive to the abutting properties.
The diamond-shaped interchange would likely mean the Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church would have to move, staff said.
The council committee also endorsed $4.1 million in street improvements along Capitol Avenue and Lafayette and State streets. Money for the projects would come from local sales tax and state funding.
Two other nearby projects - projected to cost $3.5 million - are not anticipated to go forward right away. One of those projects would extend Chestnut Street to the DNR building; the other, called the “MSP Parkway,” would wind across the prison site.
Morasch said the parkway would be particularly expensive because of grading concerns.
The city already has completed some improvements to Chestnut Street.
Morasch warned a property owner along Cherry Street will be affected when a rise on East Capitol Avenue is “shaved off” and a stop sign is removed.
Also on Thursday, the committee contemplated asking developers of large-scale land tracts to secure letters of credit before they tear into their projects with bulldozers.
The measure is an attempt to prevent further land tracts from being denuded of trees, in the event another large commercial development falters in the way that Schepker Farm did. The site is located at the intersection of Edgewood and Stadium drives.
“I don't want it to happen again,” warned Fourth Ward Councilman Cindy Layton. “I want something on the books so it does not happen again.”
In the event a big project stumbles, enough credit would still be available to ensure a site could be stabilized and grassed over.
In a memo, city attorney Drew Hilpert said he preferred letters of credit to bonds. “Bonding companies do not pay without being sued, and letters of credit are available immediately,” he noted.
Heath Clarkson with the Home Builders Association concurred. “Obviously it's not something I'm ecstatic about,” he said, adding that bonding can be expensive and may be out of the reach of smaller developers.
Third Ward Councilman Jane Smith said she doesn't see the need for the protection on “every two-lot subdivision,” but would like to see some protections provides for larger-scale projects.
Public Works Director Matt Morasch said he's toured the Schepker Farm site with staffers from the Department of Natural Resources. “And they found no violations,” he said.
In other business, the committee:
* Approved an agreement to work with Lincoln University on three projects.
The first would improve Locust Street in order to provide better access to a new dormitory. The city and campus will also work on a roundabout at the intersection of Stadium Drive and Lafayette Streets. And, the city has agreed to help with design work along Chestnut Street to control student parking in the heart of the campus.
* Approved the outline of an agreement with the Stoneridge Village developers. As currently drafted the plan calls for two roundabouts along Stadium Boulevard and includes a Menard's lumberyard.
As part of the agreement, the city is asking the developers to provide certification from “an independent engineering company specializing in roundabout design” that the traffic devices are designed in accordance with established standards.
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mokaneops wrote on Apr 30, 2008 2:16 PM: