Cape Girardeau City Council talks TTF 5 at annual retreat

Results from two Transportation Trust Fund 5 public meetings leave the Cape Girardeau City Council plenty to consider before formally approving a project list to take to voters.

The council held a discussion on the topic at its annual retreat Friday.

The meetings held in late February and early March allowed the public to weigh in on projects funded by the next installment of the half-cent, pay-as-you-go transportation sales tax, which will appear on the August ballot.

City staff used an interactive approach, handing each person at the meeting an envelope with $20 million in Cape Cash to be distributed among eight proposed projects and four maintenance categories. Combined cost of the projects was about $24 million. It reflects a similar situation the city faces, trying to divvy up funding for projects as well as much-needed street and sidewalk repairs.

TTF 5 is conservatively estimated to bring in $22.5 million over five years, although $2 million is typically set aside for a contingency fund.

Of the total Cape Cash spent at the meetings, 51.5 percent went toward specific projects and 48.5 percent was spent on repair or maintenance items. Based on the amount of Cape Cash spent on each project and weighing for the cost of each, rankings calculated by the city showed new sidewalks were the top priority, followed by concrete street repair and the Sprigg Street project, which focuses on an area between William Street and Broadway. Expanded paving overlay and new streetlights tied for fourth in the rankings.

Assistant city manager Molly Hood discussed this information with the council, noting how the input from the public differed from the suggestions of the committee that created the project list. It allocated a smaller percentage of funds toward maintenance, compared to the public's input.

As part of the TTF discussion Friday, the council was asked to consider what percentage of funds it was comfortable dedicating to maintenance versus specific projects. Members seemed to agree a heavier focus on maintenance and street repair was needed, and had ideas on how to reach that goal.

Councilman Wayne Bowen said because street and sidewalk maintenance was an ongoing cost, he believed it was worth the council's time to consider changing the tax to have a permanent and renewable portion that would fund capital project and operational needs. The city has taken that approach with other taxes, including the recently renewed fire tax.

Other council members questioned whether the shift to an ongoing portion would create less of an urgency in the minds of voters when it came to renewing the tax. Mayor Harry Rediger in particular said he felt such a change might not be favorable to voters and questioned whether it was worth the risk.

"We cannot afford to lose TTF 5 in hopes that if the roads get bad enough, they'll just vote for it again in 15 years," he said. "The growth of the city cannot afford that."

Rediger did say he was in favor of allocating 40 percent to 50 percent of TTF 5 funds to maintenance, although Bowen questioned whether that number would be enough, based on consistent complaints he hears from constituents.

The city has an opportunity to use approximately $3 million originally dedicated to the Armstrong Drive project -- a TTF 3 proposal never completed because of high right of way costs associated with a Century Farm in the area -- on projects in the coming TTF installment. The use of this money specifically for street repair was a move embraced by the whole council.

On the topic of specific projects proposed under TTF 5, Hood mentioned one cost-saving move proposed by staff members. Rather than dedicate $1.6 million to the full reconstruction of Lexington Avenue between Sherwood Drive and West Cape Rock Drive, which would disrupt some of the recent concrete panel repair done in the area, it was recommended to substitute the project with an asphalt overlay. It would cost $900,000 and "give about 10 more years of life to that roadway," Hood said.

Unfortunately, she said, the savings from that project now need to be dedicated to the Sloan Creek Bridge project. It originally was estimated to cost $1 million to replace the bridge, but further creek bank destabilization has bumped the price up to $1.7 million.

Staff also is looking at options for the Independence Street project, stretching from Gordonville Road/East Rodney Drive to Caruthers Avenue, to see if there are ways to lower its $4 million price tag. The project is the most expensive one on the TTF 5 list.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

Cape Girardeau, Mo.