Branson/Tri-Lakes News: Study considers Stone County traffic relief

The transportation study group met with Springfield-based CJW Transportation Consultants LLC, a firm the group hired to look at short- and long-term solutions to alleviate traffic congestion in eastern Stone County. The cost of the study was $87,000. Members of the transportation study group represented Stone County, cities of Branson West and Kimberling City and village of Indian Point, and the two private entities of Indian Ridge Resort Community and Silver Dollar City.

CJW specifically addressed the heavily traveled areas along State Highway 13 from Branson West to Kimberling City, along Highway 76 from Branson West to the Ozark Mountain Highroad/U.S. Highway 465 and along Indian Point Road leading into Silver Dollar City.

The busiest stretch of highway, based on Missouri Department of Transportation traffic counts, is the five-mile stretch along Highway 76 between Silver Dollar City and the Highroad, which recorded on average 18,577 vehicles a day in 2006.

That stretch also recorded the highest one-day total of 26,000 vehicles during July last year.

With traffic increasing by 3.9 percent a year, CJW Executive Vice President Tom Dancey estimated that by 2012, traffic along Highway 76 could reach 38,000 vehicles per day during the peak season.

“(Already), we’re at capacity at Highway 13 and Indian Point Road,” he said.

Dancey said a short-term fix would be to five-lane highways 13 and 76 and Indian Point Road and add a sixth lane as an additional left-turn lane on Highway 76 at the intersection of Indian Point Road. Costs for widening Highway 13 from Kimberling City to Branson West would be $2.9 million, while it would cost $10.66 million to widen Highway 76 from Branson West to Indian Point Road. The entire project would cost nearly $20 million.

Long-term outlook

John Bolte, vice president of CJW’s Joplin office, said Stone County leaders should look at long-term solutions as well. He introduced corridors or loops, built in five phases, to relieve traffic congestion on highways 13 and 76. (Click here for a map of the proposed routes.)

Phase I included realigning a portion of U.S. Highway 265 with U.S. Highway 465 and building the first section of Peninsula Parkway that would join Highway 265 and the south end of Indian Point Road.

Phases II and III included building the three western sections of Peninsula Parkway that would connect Highway 76 west of Silver Dollar City to an alternate Highway 13.

Phase IV of the road project would realign Highway 13 between the current Highway 13 and Highway DD, north from Branson West to Kimberling City.

Phase V would include construction of Crow’s Nest Road that would intersect Peninsula Parkway and run south through the new development of Indian Ridge Resort. The road could possibly join the first phase of Peninsula Parkway at Indian Point Road.

Bolte said the cost for the entire five-phase project would be $78.1 million.

Final report

Jay Wynn, president of CJW, said after receiving comments from the transportation study group, his company would give a final report in mid-October.

“Our next stop is to have a public meeting and to get these corridors mapped,” Wynn said. “We’d be lucky to get these corridors in the next 30 years, but we need these (mapped).”

Wynn said approving the corridors on paper would help protect the right-of-way needed for future construction.

Wynn suggested that the group form a transportation development district to help with funding of the short-term improvements for lane additions.

“It’s the place to start to get the next five years under control,” he said. “For the rest, you will need to go to Jefferson City. It’s going to come down to economic development. You are going to need help.”

In addition to working with the transportation study group, Silver Dollar City owner Herschend Family Entertainment is waiting for approval by Stone County commissioners on tax increment financing of between $5 million and $5.5 million for other improvements to Indian Point Road. Stone County Presiding Commissioner George Cutbirth said the county is waiting on the development agreement to be completed and expects to vote on the TIF proposal in October.[[In-content Ad]]