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News covering policy and issues related to city and county governments in the Ozarks.

Council Receives Updates on Republic Road Widening, Intersection Improvements

theconstructionline.com

Springfield City Council on Tuesday received updates on a range of transportation projects, including multi-million dollar initiatives at Battlefield and 65 and along Republic Road.

The city is teaming with MoDOT, Greene County and the Ozarks Transportation Organization on the $13 million project to add its fifth diverging diamond intersection. The project also includes replacing the Battlefield Road bridge over 65; adding northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes on the highway, and connecting the Sunshine Street and Battlefield Road ramps.  

Assistant Public Works Director Kirk Juranas offered details to council members during their lunch meeting Tuesday.

“Basically they’ll be new signals included, along with two new bridges, so we’ll have four new signals, two new bridges, and a diverging diamond when it’s complete,” Juranas said.

First order of business is to add the auxiliary lanes, and then perform demolition work on the bridge, one side at a time, Juranas said.  

“In 2011 when the city – we went out and surveyed the public – this was the number one project that they desired from that survey,” he said.

In addition to the cost-share partnership, funds also come from the 1/8-cent Transportation Sales Tax approved by voters.

That tax initiative, plus the 1/4-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax are helping widen Republic Road from Fremont Avenue to the west side of the bridge over James River Freeway.

Juranas says it’s likely the “largest urban-type widening project” in the city in some time.

“We’re wanting to switch the lanes configuration… when weather allows we’ll switch the staging over to begin the other side.”  

The $7.5 million project is expected to be complete by the fall.

Other projects currently underway include intersection upgrades at Campbell Avenue and Grand, as well as at Mount Vernon Street and Orchard Crest, drainage improvements in the Kickapoo Prairie subdivision, plus accessible walk and bike paths and crosswalk installation for users of The Link.

Juranas also spoke about projects that will begin in 2015. That includes phase 2 of the Jefferson Avenue streetscape project, widening a portion of Golden Avenue, improvements to the South Creek stream, as well as to the Campbell Avenue and Primrose Street intersection, and widening Republic Road from Lark Street to Parkcrest Avenue.

See Juranas’ full report from Tuesday here.