Public Works Committee considers city, county joint projects

The Jefferson City Public Works Committee endorsed the proposed joint Cole County/Jefferson City sales tax capital improvement projects for the next five years Thursday.

Of the $11 million worth of city-county projects between 2017-22, approximately $4 million is anticipated to go toward economic and commercial development projects, including a new road for the second Jefferson City public high school.

The $4.6 million set aside for infrastructure maintenance and improvements will be split between improvements to Dunklin Street corridor and East High Street. Improvements to roadway safety, including the Capitol Avenue improvements, took up $1.2 million, with another $1.2 million going toward Clark Avenue intersection improvements.

Of this money, $1.5 million is anticipated for the second high school's new road, which would connect Creek Trail Drive to Rolling Hills Drive roundabout. Cary Gampher with Architects Alliance said the Jefferson City Public Schools district hopes to have little drives extend from the new road to parking areas for the second high school, to be built on Mission Drive. Work would not begin until possibly 2019.

Approximately $2 million is estimated for the Missouri State Penitentiary Parkway, with the anticipated construction year being 2021. The parkway would sit on 4.4 of 32 acres the city received from the state for redevelopment of the old penitentiary. The parkway would extend from the circle end of Lafayette Street, east and south through the MSP property, and connect with East Capitol Avenue. Another roundabout would be located east of Chestnut Street.

The city's Public Works Director Matt Morasch anticipated the city and county will put an estimated $2.9 million toward improving the signals and sidewalks in the Dunklin Street corridor, with the anticipated construction year being 2020.

Also, $1.7 million will go toward East High Street improvements, between Cherry Street and Vetter Lane, with work possibly beginning next year. The improvements include sidewalk work at East Elementary School and the crosswalk near the school, along with stormwater inlets in the area.

The city and county plan to reduce traffic congestion at the Clark Avenue intersection, and the Public Works Department currently is requesting a $27,000 traffic study and conceptual designs for the intersection. The Jefferson City Council will vote on this request Nov. 6. Improvements to Clark Avenue are anticipated to be approximately $1.2 million, with construction possibly beginning in 2022.

The list of projects also included $500,000 for Myrtle Avenue improvements, completed in August, and $400,000 for Capital Avenue improvements, which includes sidewalk repair and installing historic-style light poles.

An estimated $800,000 was set aside for other various roadway safety improvements. These improvements have not yet been identified, Morasch said.

The Cole County Commission discussed these projects earlier this month, and Morasch plans to present two city-county agreements to the commission at a future meeting.