Jackson looks ahead to phase 2 of widening project

On the same day that Farmington Road was closed for phase one construction of the Highway 34/72 widening project, the Jackson Board of Aldermen Monday night made an important move on the beginning of the second phase of the project.

The board Monday night accepted a $703,859 bid from Dutch Enterprises Inc. to remove the city's water and sewer lines for the phase two stretch -- from West Main Street to the city limits.

"We should see them turning some dirt by the end of this month," Rodney Bollinger, public works director, said.

Bollinger said the water and sewer lines should be moved by October, roughly the same time the Missouri Department of Transportation will award the second phase construction contract.

Phase one, from Highway 25 to Main Street, should be finished by mid-December.

Bollinger said the city still has to award a bid for the electric relocation, but said underground utilities have to be moved before the electric poles can be moved.

The city and state share the cost of relocating utilities. If utilities are located in pre-existing state right of way, the city has to pay to move them. If they're not in pre-existing state right of way, the state pays. Bollinger said the city recently received a $100,000 check from the state for its share of the utility relocation from phase one.

City park curfews

The aldermen Monday night made it a city violation for people to hang out at the soccer park or skate park after dark.

Both facilities are in Jackson's city park, which is open until midnight.

Jackson city attorney Tom Ludwig said the city had different reasons for setting curfews at both facilities.

"Since the purpose of the soccer park is for organized activities rather than general recreation, we wanted to make a curfew that complied to a time when organized sports are going on down there," he said. He said people had no good reason for being in a dark soccer park.

For the skate park, he said, the city staff thought it was a matter of noise, safety and security.

Officer Chris Mouser said the police department encouraged the changes, especially with the skate park for safety and because the department has chased off a few repeat offenders.

The sign in front of the park says the park is only open until dark, but a few have ignored the sign. When the equipment was first installed, the police department chased skateboarders off the equipment every night. Now, Mouser said, it's more like two or three times per week. The ordinance allows the department to issue citations.

"That's not what we want to do," Mouser said. "We're not going to go out and arrest a bunch of people. We're not out to run people off for no reason. The rules are to help people enjoy the park."

He said police generally do not issue citations for curfew violations unless they refuse to leave.

Ludwig said the skate park is located near a residential area and the city also wanted to prevent a noise disturbance for the nearby residents.

Ludwig also said the city needs to establish good control of the skate park early in its existence. The park was formally dedicated Saturday.

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635