Transportation Trust Fund projects continue throughout Cape

Cape Girardeau city leaders already have an eye on seeking a renewal of the Transportation Trust Fund tax less than two years from now.

With all but one project from TTF 3 completed, projects in the TTF 4 program are well underway and TTF 5 projects are starting to be considered. Most projects in the city's TTF programs are familiar to the public as they are used each day by motorists and pedestrians -- the new Broadway corridor is one, as is the new Lexington Avenue roundabout.

The city began asking voters to approve the half-cent sales tax for transportation projects beginning in 1995. Voters have renewed the "pay-as-you-go" scenario three times since. The last renewal was in 2010, meaning another will be pitched leading up to a 2015 vote.

City engineer Casey Brunke recently told the city council as in past programs, the fourth is meeting plans set by the city for budget and time. The $21.2 million in the TTF 4 program is being used for 12 specific projects and other general projects always included in the programs -- street, curb and gutter repair and sidewalk repair and construction.

Acquiring right-of-way is an integral part of completing TTF projects, Brunke said. But city leaders recently concluded one large project can't happen, at least for now, because of pushback from property owners.

A block of Themis Street was being repaved Friday through Cape Girardeau’s Transportation Trust Fund. (Laura Simon)

Armstrong Drive, a small section of which extends west next to Menards from Siemers Drive between the Shawnee Parkway and Bloomfield Road, will remain a small section because the city has decided it can't come to an agreement with property owners. The $3 million project, which was in the TTF 3 program, would have included a newly constructed route to run west of Siemers Drive, starting on the south at Siemers and end at Route K, about a quarter-mile west of Wal-Mart. City officials hoped Armstrong Drive eventually would be surrounded by a high level of business development as seen on Siemers Drive, where there are big-box stores, car dealerships and other retail businesses.

Partially complicating the right-of-way acquisition, according to city manager Scott Meyer, is that the proposed route included land that is part of a Century Farm -- a farm recognized by the state as belonging to the same family for 100 years or more. Such farms are protected by state law, in that the city must come to an agreement with owners on right-of-way acquisition. If they do not, the city may condemn the area in question, but must pay double the appraised value.

Mayor Harry Rediger said he does not want the city to go forward in that way.

"I do not want us to delay that project because of lack of being able to access the right-of-way, nor do I want us to pay an excessive amount for right-of-way for TTF projects," he said. Rediger added: "We are not out of developable land that would necessitate us doing Armstrong now."

The mayor suggested city staff should look for alternate projects, and the city council agreed during its Oct. 7 meeting.

Rediger said Friday he doesn't expect city staff to come up with a new project to replace the Armstrong Drive project, but he believes projects included in previous TTF programs, the current program and the upcoming program -- if approved by voters -- should be considered.

The status of the specific projects vary depending on size and scope, along with the city's spending plans.

Current TTF 4 project statuses are:

* Bloomfield Road from Benton Hill Road (County Road 206) to White Oaks Lane -- in design phase, acquisition soon will start. Construction could begin late next summer or early fall.

* Broadway and Henderson Avenue intersection improvements -- nearly complete. Traffic signals and poles need to be installed. Expected completion date is later this month.

* Streetscape and street overlay on Broadway from Pacific Street to Water Street -- completed October 2012.

* Independence Street and Gordonville Road intersection improvements -- city soon will choose design consultant.

* Mustang Drive -- new road to access property for development at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. Project will start in 2015

* Lexington Avenue and Route W intersection improvements -- completed in September.

* Sprigg Street -- various improvements from William Street to Olive Street. Project will start in 2015.

* Veterans Memorial Drive -- new construction from Scenic Drive to Hopper Road. Design phase is nearly complete; acquisition process has begun. Construction could start in the spring.

* Walnut Street -- Sprigg Street to West End Boulevard -- restoration from Sprigg Street to Beaudean Lane and extension from Beaudean Lane to West End Boulevard. Design phase nearly is complete; acquisition process begun. Construction planned in 2014.

* Improvements to West End Boulevard from Linden Street to Jefferson Avenue -- design phase nearly complete; acquisition process begun. Construction planned in 2014.

* Improvements to West End Boulevard from Rose Street to New Madrid Street -- design will begin in 2014.

* William Street/Aquamsi Street/Main Street intersection improvements -- completed this year.

* Design for William Street corridor from Main Street to Kingshighway -- consultant is working on design. A public presentation is planned for November.

One project likely to land in the TTF 5 program, if voters decide to fund it in 2015, is an improved William Street from Main Street to Kingshighway. Brunke said the corridor design could be similar to elements in the Broadway corridor improvements, but the street "isn't being designed to look just like Broadway."

"There would be a streetscape that incorporates the same type of things, like benches, trees and sidewalks, but all the while there would also be street improvements, which will make it all look a ton better," Brunke said.

Design costs for the William Street corridor are included in the current TTF program.

City staff is beginning to evaluate what other projects may be placed in a TTF 5 program, Brunke said.

During previous discussions of other possible tax renewals, city officials have said they want to be careful about how each renewal effort is handled because of the importance they place on the passage of another tax to fund transportation projects.

"If you really sit down and look at it, at the end of 20 years, it's amazing what the tax has done," Brunke said.

Counted among the four TTF programs, including the one in progress, are 45 major transportation projects that have been completed or are underway.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3627