The Jefferson City Council unanimously approved a resolution urging voters to support a state-wide amendment on next month's ballot to fund road upkeep and new construction.
Constitutional Amendment 7 would create a three-fourths cent sales tax that would generate an estimated $4.8 billion for transportation and infrastructure improvements in Missouri. The tax, if approved, would last 10 years.
At Monday night's council meeting, City Attorney Drew Hilpert, who put together the resolution, noted the amendment has $40 million of projects in Cole County, which would lead to jobs being created.
One of Jefferson City's major roadways would be expanded if the amendment is approved. The Whitton Expressway from Clark Avenue to Missouri Boulevard would have an additional lane constructed in each direction at a cost of $17.17 million.
In other action at Monday's meeting, two bills related to the Lafayette Street interchange project were approved.
The council gave final approval for funds to pay for interchange enhancements on the Jackson Street, Chestnut Street and Lafayette Street bridges, including pylons, lights, railings and a retaining wall at the rock cut with Jackson Street.
The city is contributing $500,000 to the project, using funds from the capital improvements sales tax funds dedicated to improvements at the old Missouri State Penitentiary. Cole County has approved a $1 million contribution for the enhancements.
The project is supposed to go to bid next month with a contract awarded in September and construction starting in December.
The council also approved an agreement with JC Industries for sewer basin upgrades extending from McCarty Street south to where a roundabout will be constructed at Lafayette Street and Leslie Boulevard. The work would cost nearly $1.5 million.
The Lafayette interchange itself, expected to cost $18 million, will be funded through MoDOT.
The two-year construction will be done in about six phases that intermittently close Chestnut Street, Jackson Street, Lafayette Street and Clark Avenue as well as permanently close Elm Street.
Other bills approved by the council included a contract with Sam Gaines Construction to build a bike plaza at Clay Street. This will be near the pedestrian bike bridge over the Missouri River. The $149,602 project is being paid for through sales tax funds and federal grant money.
Also approved was appropriating $14,220 to help pay for the defense in a dispute with Ameren Missouri over the assessment of their natural gas distribution lines.
Hilpert said Cole County officials asked the city and other taxing entities in the county to help pay for the defense costs in this case, which look to total over $236,000.
Also at Monday' meeting, the council heard from Dick Peerson, co-chair of the zoning oversight committee working on the issue of zoning in Cole County for the last five year. He was invited to make a presentation to the council by Mayor Eric Struemph along with Fifth Ward Councilman Ralph Bray and Second Ward Councilman Rick Mihalevich.
Peerson urged the council to approve the measure to allow county zoning, which is on next month's ballot, saying county zoning protects citizens property rights. He noted that Cole County is one of only four non-charter first-class counties in Missouri that does not have some form of zoning.