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City details West 76 Country Boulevard plan, timelines and funding
Summary
Public works director Michael Wood briefed aldermen and the public on the multi‑phase West 76 Country Boulevard project — describing phasing, underground utilities, pedestrian safety features (HAWK crossings), and a funding mix including CID receipts, federal and state grants, and $4 million in city water‑line investment.
Michael Wood, the public works director, told the Board of Aldermen on April 28 that the West 76 Country Boulevard project is intended to improve safety, circulation, utilities and streetscape along the 76 corridor and to promote economic growth. He presented background on the CID, project phasing, and the timeline for design and construction.
Wood said segment three is completed and that segments one and two are advancing to final designs and bid documents with an objective to begin heavy infrastructure work following a notice‑to‑proceed after Labor Day. He described key utility work, including the installation of 12‑inch water mains to improve fire flow for theaters and business connections.
On pedestrian safety, Wood emphasized HAWK (High‑Intensity Activated crossWalK) systems and refuge islands, citing staff research and MoDOT experience that HAWK signals can significantly reduce pedestrian crashes. He said staff are planning activated crossings and refuge islands at key points in multiple segments.
On funding, Wood and other staff outlined a layered approach: federal highway funding and a MoDOT TAP grant ($800,000) for sidewalks and crossings; a $6.2 million state cost‑share referenced by staff; and CID tax receipts that the city estimates at roughly $5 million a year. The city will also invest about $4 million in water‑line upsizing to support the corridor’s redevelopment, they said. Staff estimated the cost of segments one and two at about $12 million and $18 million respectively and described a CID fund balance of about $19.5 million to support near‑term work.
Wood said final easements and utility agreements were recorded in 2025, federal environmental review and MoDOT coordination are complete or in progress, and that bond documents and construction contracts will return to the Board and the 76 CID for action in the coming months.
Board members and residents asked about phasing beyond segment six and about whether future annexations would be required to expand the CID; staff said further segments (7 and 8) would require annexation and voter approval in affected areas. Several aldermen also asked about long‑term maintenance and the distinction between incremental CID services and base city responsibilities — questions that were debated later in the meeting during the cooperative agreement vote.
Next steps listed by staff include finalizing job special provisions for MoDOT review in June, returning bond documents in August, and taking construction contracts to the CID and Board for approval.
