Jackson prepares to block traffic for Route D repairs

Soon, Jackson's Independence Street might be known as Route Detour.

City officials confirmed Friday that a section of Independence Street, also called Route D, will be closed to through traffic for up to a month while construction workers make improvements at and near the intersection with Farmington Road.

Beginning Aug. 2, the city will place barricades at the Small World Too preschool's driveway and at the corner of Broadridge Road, where the middle school is located.

The decision to close off the section of road was made to speed up the construction schedule. City officials say closing the road will save $100,000 on the project, which is expected to cost between $500,000 to $600,000. They also say the project, if done one lane at a time, wouldn't be completed until next June.

The closure will have an effect on area businesses, including a funeral home, a convenience store, a car wash and a dentist's office. All of the businesses will remain open. The city will erect a sign near the barricades to remind motorists that they can still visit those businesses.

The construction will also create traffic problems around the middle school, where classes resume Aug. 16.

The school district will have to reroute 58 buses through detours. Superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson said the school will open earlier in the mornings for parents to drop off their children so they can get in and out of the area more quickly. He said the school will allow the buses to drop off earlier as well.

Jackson public works director Rodney Bollinger said police officers will be stationed at certain intersections to help keep traffic moving.

"It won't be easy," Anderson said. "But it's one of those things that needs to be done."

City officials have been in contact with school leaders and business owners along the stretch, explaining the circumstances.

Jodie Kimbel, the co-director of a Small World Too, said half of the preschool's driveway will be closed. She said the closure will be more inconvenient for parents who may have to circle around to U.S. 61 instead of taking a direct route on Independence Street.

But for the most part, Kimbel said, the business won't be affected.

The Casey's convenience store, however, will likely miss many impulse customers.

The improvement has been in the works since 2001. City officials hoped to have the project finished this summer before school started. But because state and federal dollars are being used to pay for the project, the preparation took more time than a typical city project. For instance, the project was delayed while waiting for property appraisals as the city negotiated easement deals in accordance with strict Missouri Department of Transportation guidelines. The city does not usually appraise property when it negotiates easements.

The intersection at Farmington Road and Route D will get quite a makeover. Neither of the roads has a left-turn lane. The new intersection will include left-turn and right-turn lanes from all directions. The intersection will be equipped to handle traffic signals, although they won't be added immediately.

The plans also call for a section of Independence Street to be lowered four feet to eliminate a dangerous blind spot when sitting at the south stop sign at Farmington Road. This is one of the main reasons the road is being closed to traffic. Had one lane been kept open, there would be a three-foot drop-off from one lane to another, making for dangerous working conditions.

The plans also call for Farmington Road north of Independence Street to be moved eastward about 80 feet. Currently, the road is not perpendicular to the rest of the intersection.

The city is currently seeking bids on the project. Route D is scheduled to be reopened on Sept. 1, although the city has offered a $2,000 per-day incentive, up to $20,000, for early completion.

The entire project will be finished by the end of the year.

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635