Jackson, developer agree to turn part of parking lot into street

Both parties will benefit from a planned move by the City of Jackson to build a roadway through a parking lot already handling a heavy traffic load, developer Jim Maevers said.

South Donna Drive extends south through the parking lot from Kimbel Lane to East Jackson Boulevard -- where Wings Etc., Riverside Regional Library, Dexter Bar-B-Q and other entities operate.

That section of Donna Drive includes a 90-degree turn, and is in a parking lot not designed for use as a roadway.

After some negotiating, the city and Maevers have an agreement: the city will build a roadway across the parking lot to serve as Donna Drive.

Building superintendent Janet Sanders said the roadway planning is still in early stages so there is no timeline or cost estimate for construction.

The parking lot in the 1900 block of East Jackson Boulevard, which houses several businesses in Jackson.KASSI JACKSON

"Typically, the major street plan affects property not developed, being developed," Sanders said. "This is a unique situation."

Sanders said the planning and zoning commission first reviewed Maevers' plat for redeveloping the shopping plaza and discovered the conflict with the major street plan.

So, Maevers and the city negotiated and arrived at a workable solution.

That solution was then brought before the Board of Aldermen, which discussed the matter at their April 2 meeting and, at the May 21 regular meeting, approved the agreement between Maevers Investments LLC and the city.

Maevers said it's important for landowners and developers alike to review the major street plan to see how it affects their property.

A map of the major street plan is online at jacksonmo.org.

"By ordinance, in order for us to get our plat approved, there had to be acknowledgment of that right-of-way for the city's future use of the street," Maevers said, adding the new roadway was not something he asked the city to build.

Maevers said the intersection of South Donna Drive and East Jackson Boulevard, which has a traffic signal light, is one of the heaviest traveled in Cape Girardeau County.

"I think it's obvious to anyone who's traveled through that parking lot that it has been used as a street for many years, because of the availability of the stoplight, and for safety," Maevers said.

Making a turn onto the five-lane East Jackson Boulevard is next to impossible during high-traffic times, he said -- there's a visibility issue and a speed issue, whether the motorist is turning left or right.

"Certainly, we want to make sure it's as safe as possible for those coming to the shopping area," Maevers added.

It makes sense for people to use the lot as a cut through, he said, but that has led to more wear and tear on concrete designed as a parking lot, not a street.

The lot does need some repair work now, Maevers acknowledged, and under the agreement with the city, that repair and maintenance is his responsibility until the city is ready to build up the section of South Donna Drive into a curbed roadway.

"I've tried to paint some stop stripes in the parking lot so people would stop at the 90-degree turn, but that didn't work," Maevers said. "With having a street in there, traffic control will be much better, which will have a positive impact on the property owners who adjoin it, and the Warren Place subdivision residents who live south of the shopping center. Hopefully, this will be safer."

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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