Council OKs $511,472 contract for Edgewood Drive intersection design; roundabouts under study

The Jefferson City Council on May 7 approved a $511,472 contract with Engineering Surveys & Services to design intersection improvements at West Edgewood Drive where it meets Stadium Boulevard and Creek Trail Drive. The ordinance was approved by roll call after staff described the project as a city–county cooperative effort.

City staff said the project follows a 2014 traffic study that recommended roundabouts at the two intersections; the current engineering contract will evaluate traffic, confirm feasible solutions and produce final design documents. Staff asked the council to fast-track the work so a traffic study can be completed before the school year ends.

Councilmembers asked about costs and long‑term maintenance. Staff said initial construction for a roundabout can be comparable to a traffic signal and that, while roundabouts may have higher upfront cost in some configurations, they generally have lower long‑term maintenance and operational costs than traffic signals.

The contract will be paid from the capital improvement sales tax fund; staff said the work is a cooperative project with Cole County and that the county has agreed to the proposed alignment study. Following design and the traffic study, staff said construction contracts would be scheduled as future legislation for council approval.

Ending: With the engineering contract approved, staff will begin traffic data collection and move toward final design. Council members and staff said they expect follow-up legislation for construction contracts after the design and public coordination process.