Adrian's Island riverfront project moving forward

Union Pacific decision could come in September, approval expected

FILE PHOTO: This rendering shows the preferred Veteran's Memorial bridge option to get to Adrian's Island. The entrance would be between the Senate garage and the Veteran's Memorial, and the bridge would curve around and slowly lower in grade to reach a landing on Adrian's Island.
FILE PHOTO: This rendering shows the preferred Veteran's Memorial bridge option to get to Adrian's Island. The entrance would be between the Senate garage and the Veteran's Memorial, and the bridge would curve around and slowly lower in grade to reach a landing on Adrian's Island.

Access to Adrian's Island may be just around the corner.

Jefferson City officials have been working since last summer on a project that revives the long-discussed goal of accessing Adrian's Island along the Missouri River, something that started again after city resident B.J. DeLong donated $50,000 to pay for preliminary design work on a bridge to access the property.

Since the summer donation, local engineering company Bartlett & West has been doing preliminary design work on bridge options to the property, ultimately settling on a preferred option of a bridge beginning between the Senate garage and Veterans Memorial with a price tag of $2.99 million. The trail would be a 10-foot-wide concrete path and abide by all requirements laid out in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Adrian's Island is actually a peninsula between the state Capitol building and the Missouri River that developed as settling sand and river bottom accumulated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' rock dikes built in the 1960s to maintain a 9-foot minimum channel depth.

Randy Allen, president and CEO of the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce, said approximately $1.5 million has been pledged to the project so far, and the Jefferson City Council approved a resolution Monday to allow the city's Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department to apply for a grant that would fund another $968,827 if awarded.

The grant is through the Missouri Department of Transportation's Missouri Moves Cost Share program, and the resolution summary states the money would be used to extend the city's "greenway over the Union Pacific Railroad to 30 acres of land on the south side of the Missouri River."

"We're hopeful on this grant," Allen said. "This is the first time they've had this Missouri Moves grant, so we really don't know what to expect."

Allen said the money would have to be "encumbered" by the end of June 2017, meaning at least a contract for the project would need to be in place by then, something he was confident could be accomplished.

"The only thing that we're really waiting on now is just more funding," Allen said.

Allen said 30 percent of the design work is complete and has been submitted to Union Pacific for approval. He said a decision could come in September, though he noted confidence in the railroad's approval.

"I'm sure it'll be a 'yes;' it's just the devil is always in the details," Allen said, noting the railroad has been involved in every step of the project to try to avoid any unexpected complications. "We have avoided any of the trip wires that could be out there with regard to them."

Union Pacific representatives confirmed Friday conversations with Jefferson City officials for the bridge project were ongoing but provided no further information.

For now, fundraising for the project continues. Allen said those interested in donating should contact Mayor Carrie Tergin or him at the chamber.

Previous coverage:

Officials don't see flooding at Adrian's Island as development killer, Jan. 24, 2016

Latest plan buoys Adrian's Island, Dec. 27, 2015

Bridge to Adrian's Island moving forward, Dec. 22, 2015

Adrian's Island planning moves forward, Dec. 6, 2015

Benefactor's interest in riverfront access pushes idea back to forefront, Aug. 9, 2015