Cole County commissioners told Jefferson City public works officials Tuesday they will need more time to consider plans for three proposed roundabouts in the Clark Avenue corridor.
Jefferson City will receive $1.91 million to help fund construction of the roundabouts from the Governor's Transportation Cost-Share Program, which provides financial assistance to public and private applicants for public road and bridge projects and matches up to 50 percent of the construction contract costs for selected projects.
Jefferson City Public Works Director Matt Morasch told commissioners during their regular meeting Tuesday the total construction cost would be $3.82 million, and the overall cost for the project would be $5.8 million.
Morasch said they are looking to match the cost-share funds locally using half-cent capital improvement sales tax from the city and Cole County.
City officials estimated there will be $1.3 million in local funds needed to complete the project, to be split between the city and county.
Presiding Commissioner Sam Bushman said this was commissioners' first formal presentation on the project, and they need more time to think about where the money could come from.
Western District Commissioner Kris Scheperle said the only source the county could take money from to help pay for the work right now is funding designated for redevelopment of the old Missouri State Penitentiary.
When the city and county passed their last half-cent capital sales tax extensions in 2016, $5.5 million was set aside in each proposal for cooperative projects between the two entities. One million dollars of that was earmarked out of each sales tax for MSP redevelopment.
Jefferson City officials have said they want to choose a developer for the MSP property sometime this spring, Scheperle noted.
Morasch said they would like to get approval from the City Council and County Commission in February, with possible construction beginning in spring 2021 and completion in 2022.