Jackson commuter parking cut in half for new police station

The City of Jackson permanently closed one of its two commuter parking lots Friday to make way for the planned police station, according to a city official.

Administrative services director Rodney Bollinger wrote in an email Tuesday the lot, on South Missouri Street, west of the Jackson Police/Fire Complex at 525 S. Hope St., was closed so the needed survey, soil and environmental assessment work could begin.

Koehler Engineering of Cape Girardeau was hired by the board of aldermen to perform that work, in order to begin construction on the new police station once it�s completed, Bollinger said.

The other commuter lot is on Jackson Trail, off Highway 25 and behind Rubbermaid, Bollinger said.

�That location will continue to stay open and available for everyone�s use,� Bollinger said.

A commuter parking lot is seen Tuesday in the 600 block of Jackson Trail in Jackson.BEN MATTHEWS

City staff and the board of aldermen are considering action that would at least partially restrict the parking of recreational vehicles on Jackson city streets, defined as any vehicle used for recreation � including campers, RVs, jet skis on trailers and others, according to city documents.

If the city�s action does restrict parking recreational vehicles on city streets, officials said the commuter lot would be available instead.

In April, a public safety sales tax measure passed in Jackson. In July, the city will begin collecting one-half cent on the dollar in sales tax to put toward improving public safety in Jackson.

Revenue from the tax will be combined with existing reserve funding to finance construction of a $7 million police station, rehab the existing public-safety building now shared by the police and fire departments at an estimated cost of $1.5 million, add four to five new patrol officers, another school resource officer and a fire-department training officer.

By paying for the structure with reserve funds, the city will save about $2.5 million in interest, Mayor Dwain Hahs told the Southeast Missourian in January.

Construction is expected to be complete in or near 2021.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

525 S. Hope St., Jackson, Mo.

South Missouri Street, Jackson, Mo.

600 block Jackson Trail, Jackson, Mo.