Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
MoDOT ties city—unding for Liberty Avenue roundabout to larger corridor; extension granted to June 2026
Summary
City staff told aldermen MoDOT requires funding commitment for the entire north corridor to allow construction of the proposed roundabout; staff estimated the city—ost at about $4.9 million and said MoDOT extended the agreement to June 2026, giving the city more time to decide and pursue grant options.
City staff updated the Bolivar Board of Aldermen on Dec. 16 about the Liberty Avenue East Loop project and MoDOT—ost-share constraints that limit the city's options for building a roundabout.
Planning/staff presenter Lee (speaker 9) said MoDOT has indicated it will not issue a permit for the roundabout unless the city has acquired or committed funds to complete the entire north corridor segment (from 32 to Buffalo). "They would not issue us a permit to begin the construction of the roundabout unless we had already obtained or committed funds to complete the entire segment," Lee said.
Staff provided cost projections: the city's portion for the option that included engineering, right-of-way acquisition and north-side construction (including the roundabout) was estimated at about $4.9 million; staff said total projected project costs were roughly $9.8 million. Lee also noted a $2.5 million HUD earmark that the city has in hand that could be applied to engineering funds and discussed the State Infrastructure Bank as another potential financing mechanism.
The city received confirmation that MoDOT extended the agreement deadline to June 2026, giving staff additional time to pursue options including resubmitting a cost-share application that contemplates the roundabout alone or seeking BUILD and other federal grants. Lee cautioned that BUILD grants are highly competitive and that award notice timelines may or may not align with the MoDOT extension.
Board members asked about annual debt-service estimates for possible State Infrastructure Bank loans and whether passing on a current cost share would harm future applications; staff said careful justification would be required if the city chose to decline the current offer but that a prudent financial decision should drive the board's choice.
The update does not itself authorize spending; next steps for the board included reviewing updated MoDOT agreement language when it is provided and deciding on a funding approach before the extended deadline.
