City officials told the Marshall City Council that the municipal street program is nearing completion and that crews will begin crack sealing and slurry sealing this week, but weather and administrative delays with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) could affect timing.

The report matters because the city is trying to finish streetwork before school starts and install crosswalks tied to grant-funded sidewalk improvements and safety measures near a busy car wash and the new Lincoln school, where council members and residents raised concerns about narrow streets and student safety.

Randy, director of municipal services, told the council that the street program "is just about to wrap up. They should get it finished up this week" and that crack sealing is scheduled first, with slurry seal to follow. He warned that forecast rain could delay completion: "hopefully everything's on track and we can get everything finished up before school starts."

City Administrator (unnamed) and staff said an engineer has designs and right-of-way approval from MoDOT for crosswalks by the car wash, but that the city is "stuck in administrative red tape" at MoDOT after several Local Public Agency (LPA) supervisors changed. The administrator said engineers have submitted reimbursement paperwork and that the city will hold a public meeting once approvals advance so the engineer can present specifics.

Council members and a resident raised safety concerns for Lincoln Street, where a new school is expected to increase pedestrian and vehicle traffic. A resident, Keith Zinn, asked: "What is the plan for Lincoln when that school gets built? Because traffic is going to be horrible." The administrator said the city has discussed moving some student walking routes off Lincoln and emphasized a priority on installing a crosswalk before school starts.

The administrator explained ADA requirements for truncated domes at crosswalks, noting a dome must be installed even if a sidewalk does not yet continue beyond a crosswalk. "We can't build a crosswalk without putting the ADA truncated dome in place even if there's no sidewalk for that truncated dome to connect to," the administrator said. The council and staff said they may need follow-up planning to connect sidewalks to new crosswalks.

The council did not adopt new restrictions or convert Lincoln Street to one-way traffic at the meeting; the administrator said that any traffic restrictions or mitigation would be considered later and "there has not been any sort of hard and fast decision" about restricting traffic.

Ending: Staff said they will continue coordination with MoDOT, the city's engineer and the school district, and aim to have visible crosswalk infrastructure and driver acclimation in place before school opens. Council members asked staff to return with more detailed timelines and cost estimates if required.