Jackson Street overpass lights cost extra

Concrete is poured along the base of the faux rock bluff near the Jackson Street overpass. Emery Sapp and Sons has been setting concrete pylons, which will support lights at the four corners of the overpass.
Concrete is poured along the base of the faux rock bluff near the Jackson Street overpass. Emery Sapp and Sons has been setting concrete pylons, which will support lights at the four corners of the overpass.

The pylons going up on the Jackson Street bridge over the Rex Whitton Expressway will support lights.

The lights and the standards holding them are "part of a $1.5 million enhancement package funded by the city and county to create an appealing and inviting entry to downtown Jefferson City," Missouri Department of Transportation spokeswoman Sally Oxenhandler explained last week.

She added: "The faux rock bluff near the Lincoln University president's house (601 Jackson St.) and ornamental rails on the Clark, Chestnut and Jackson Street overpasses - and on the (Expressway) bridge over Lafayette Street - are also part of the package."

Local businesses and political leaders pushed for the new interchange for several years before the state Transportation department was able to add it to the MoDOT construction program.

Local officials see the new interchange as offering better access to the U.S. Courthouse, 80 Lafayette St.; the rest of the Missouri State Penitentiary Redevelopment grounds north of the Expressway; and to both Lincoln University and the Jefferson City High School complex to the south.

The interchange also received a funding boost when then-U.S. Sen. Kit Bond was able to win Congress' approval of money in the federal budget for the project.

The Jefferson City and Cole County governments helped pay for the initial studies that looked into the need, costs and environmental impact of adding the interchange to a section of expressway that was built around 50 years ago.

The current $20.3 million project involves building the new interchange between U.S. 50-63 (the Whitton Expressway) and Lafayette; adding a lane in each direction on the Expressway from Monroe Street to Lafayette and from Lafayette to Clark Avenue; and rehabilitating, replacing or adding six bridges along the corridor, including:

The replacement of the Chestnut Street bridge over U.S. 50-63, which was finished last year; the Jackson Street bridge; and the two bridges carrying the Expressway over Lafayette, which were finished earlier this year.

Two new bridges over Wears Creek, as part of the ramps connecting Lafayette Street with the Expressway.

The rehabilitation of the Clark Avenue bridge over U.S. 50-63, which hasn't started yet and may not be done until next year - depending on weather conditions and when the rest of the work is finished.

Earlier this month, MoDOT planners thought the Jackson Street bridge might be finished this week, but they have not yet made a formal announcement of a completion date.

The road has been closed for more than a year, after the overpass was demolished to make room for adding the lanes on the Expressway below it.

This week, MoDOT expects to install new sidewalks and disability-access ramps along Jackson Street and erect a total of four pylons.

Oxenhandler said: "We are overseeing the installation of the enhancements and will maintain them once they are in place."

But - as has happened in other road reconstruction projects around the state, she emphasized - the local governments are responsible for paying for the enhancements.