The improvement work on Business 50 in Apache Flats is going according to plan and is about one week ahead of schedule, according to Cole County Public Works officials and the project's contractor, Don Schnieders Excavating.
"They are still working on the north side of the road to get everything ready to pave the westbound lane," said county engineer Eric Landwehr. "This part takes longer than the other parts due to all the stormwater work that is completed. The south side will go quicker."
Landwehr said Schnieders is currently on schedule to pave asphalt on the westbound lane on July 28, weather permitting. That lane will be paved in one or two days.
Around the first week of August, crews will begin removing and replacing the subgrade on the two lanes similar to the first part of the project. During this time, they will set up temporary detours for the eastbound traffic to help speed up the work. Exact details of the detours are still being worked out and will be announced when they get closer to starting that work.
Pioneer Trail Drive is currently being worked on and will be opened up before school resumes in August. The signal poles and mast arms will be in place at that time. It is yet to be determined if the signal will be fully operational or set up in flash mode.
The project will rebuild the road, add curbs and gutter, storm water drainage and a sidewalk along the south side of the road from Country Club Drive west to past South Binder Lake and Babe Ruth drives. Schnieders was the low bidder for the project at $3,498,955.21.
The county also has an agreement with Jefferson City's Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department to build a greenway trail on the north side, from South Binder Lake Road east to Country Club Drive, with the city agency paying $76,000 for the extra work.
Except for the north-side greenway work, the project is to be finished by Dec. 15.
"All in all, things have gone very well with the project, and the public works department and Don Schnieders Excavating would like to thank local businesses and residents for their cooperation and support," Landwehr said.