Jackson becomes landlord for house in the way of street extension

The Jackson Board of Aldermen approved the city's purchase of a parcel of land the city hopes eventually will be used to complete its major street plan.

The city bought the land at 2204 Bainbridge Road, on which a residential home stands, for $150,000, said city administrator Jim Roach.

The city intends to eventually extend Donna Drive north through the Bainbridge Road parcel to connect to East Main Street.

He said construction of the road extension, however, will not begin anytime soon.

"It will probably be years from now," he said, adding it likely will be close to 10 years away.

The city decided to buy the land after learning the property owner had put it up for sale.

"The board then directed staff to negotiate a real-estate agreement to secure the land so that when South Donna Drive is extended, the city can then demolish the home so a road can be constructed," wrote Jackson Public Works director Rodney Bollinger in an email.

During the interim, the property will be maintained by SOTO Property Management of Cape Girardeau, which will rent out the property for the city to recoup some of the purchase costs. The board of aldermen approved a contract between SOTO and the city Monday night.

The property does not include the entire stretch between East Main Street and Bainbridge Road. Roach said, however, when the undeveloped area just north of the purchased property is developed, the city likely will require developers to build a street the city then would use to connect East Main Street and Bainbridge Road.

Bollinger said Donna Drive is the only roadway in the eastern part of Jackson that runs north to south between East Jackson Boulevard and Bainbridge Road, calling Donna Drive a "high priority in the community."

The connection of Bainbridge Road and East Main Street is part of the city's major street plan. When completed, it is expected to greatly improve north-south traffic flow.

During the meeting Monday, aldermen also approved a $32,000 increase in spending for the installation of electronic infrastructure along East Main Street and Barton Street as part of the Uptown Event Power Project and the Roundabout Project.

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627