The Cole County Commission approved a contract on a major stormwater and street improvement project at its regular meeting Tuesday.
The Crossroads, Rustic Oaks and Southtown Estates encompass parts of Monticello Road, Greenbrier Drive, Dewberry Drive, Horseshoe Road, Sycamore Lane and Rustic Lane. The area is south of Jefferson City off U.S. 54 near the Cole County Public Works headquarters.
Public Works officials said this is the largest such project they've done.
The low bidder was Rhad A. Baker Construction, of Fulton, which was awarded the contract at $1,986,243.
County Engineer Eric Landwehr said this was the first time the county would be working with this contractor, but they did a thorough background check and found the company has a good track record.
This will be a complete rebuild of the streets, stormwater pipes and inlets. The project includes 39 inlets, 4,600 feet of pipe and 13,700 feet of curb and gutter.
The project was approved in 2015. It took a year to complete the design work and get easements. It will be paid for with money from the county's half-cent capital improvement sales tax.
Landwehr said the plans call for work to start soon, with pipe work to take place during the winter. The contract calls for the work to be done by next November.
Also Tuesday, commissioners approved a final change order closing out work for stormwater improvements on Charm Villa Drive.
Landwehr said the contractor, MERA Excavating LLC, repaired three pipes and two inlets for the approved $80,900, but they did more curb and gutter work in the area in anticipation of an asphalt overlay project to be done next year. That added $26,575 to the stormwater project total, bringing the final bill to $107,475.
Commissioners and Public Works officials said they were pleased with how the project turned out.
The push to complete these projects comes after the commission heard from several residents about stormwater problems they had dealt with since heavy rains hit last year and earlier this year.