YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
Springfield City Council accepted two federal transportation grants and heard a report on another at its July 8 meeting.
The three grants will bring $27.7 million in federal funds to the city.
The city received two grants from the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission’s Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, each funding 80% of the cost of infrastructure improvement projects. The STBG program is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
City Manager Jason Gage also reported on a $24.8 million grant award from the USDOT, announced in June, to remove gaps in the city’s trail map.
The STBG grant funds are provided through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed by Congress in 2021. The USDOT administers the STBG program established by the act to authorize $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending. The legislation calls for half of the federal funds to be used for new investments and programs and half to maintain and restore existing infrastructure, according to the USDOT website.
A $2 million grant from the program will fund maintenance and rehabilitation of the Grant Avenue viaduct, and a $935,000 grant will go toward maintenance and rehabilitation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge on Benton Avenue.
The bridges are among the oldest in Springfield, according to city officials.
The Grant Avenue viaduct project will include replacement of expansion joints, bridge deck repairs, epoxy overlay and substructure repair. The city’s share of the project, which is already budgeted, will cost $506,000, to be funded by the eighth-cent transportation sales tax.
“This is rehabilitation for one of the longest city-maintained bridges that we have in the community,” said Eric Claussen, assistant director of Public Works.
The bridge was built in 1927, and some rehabilitation work took place in 1978.
“So, quite a few years since we’ve done anything with this bridge,” he said.
The MLK Bridge project will include replacement of expansion joints and application of an epoxy coating. The city’s 20% share of the project, also to come from the transportation sales tax and estimated at $234,000, is already budgeted.
Claussen called the funding a tremendous opportunity to have federal funds pay for the bulk of the work, and he noted both structures will be preserved for the next 20-25 years through the projects.
Councilmember Brandon Jenson inquired about some placemaking efforts by neighborhood residents of the Grant Avenue viaduct, specifically the application of murals to its structural support members.
Claussen said his department is working through details on that project with the city’s legal department.
“Adding public art like that to infrastructure a lot of times alleviates the concern for graffiti and that sort of thing, so we’ll definitely look into that and work with the law department to be able to achieve that,” he said.
In his report to council, Gage announced a $24.8 million grant from the USDOT to remove gaps in the city’s Wilson’s Creek, Jordan Creek and Trail of Tears trails. The 3.1 miles of trails to be constructed will connect west-side neighborhoods and include four pedestrian bridges, traffic calming, green infrastructure, Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible sidewalks and dedicated bike paths, as well as the removal of at-grade crossings and abandoned culverts.
The funds are being provided through the federal program called Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE.
The DOT website states, “The RAISE program enables DOT to use a rigorous merit-based process to select projects with exceptional benefits, explore ways to deliver projects faster and save on construction costs, and make needed investments in our nation’s infrastructure.”
Gage said the application was based heavily on citizen input to connect many of the city’s economically challenged neighborhoods.
“A lot of these connections are the difficult and more expensive connections that take a lot of those segments of our trails and connects them to have a more comprehensive and holistic trail system,” he said.
Gage said although the city applied for the funds, being selected was a surprise.
“We’re very fortunate,” he said. “We honestly didn’t anticipate getting that this year – we thought we might have to reapply next year.”
Filling in gaps in the city’s trail network – an initiative referred to as “UnGap the Map” – is one of the top 10 initiatives in the Forward SGF 20-year comprehensive plan.
In addition to the transportation grants, council also accepted $1 million in federal grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund, which provides loans to private entities and subgrants to nonprofit organizations to clean up contaminated properties in the city. The program has been in place in the city since 1999.
Council also gave approval for the city to apply for up to $3 million in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Labor Critical Sector Job Quality Grant Program. Those funds would be used to train members of historically marginalized populations for entry into the hospitality workforce.
Amanda Ohlensehlen, director of the city’s newly combined Department of Economic Vitality and Workforce Development, said the grant would serve a minimum of 350 people over three years, starting in September. Funds would be used to address barriers to employment, such as transportation, housing and access to child care.
“Obviously, the tourism and hospitality sector is very important to our local economy,” she said. “We feel that this grant will help provide training opportunities to elevate people’s status and help them to seek not only better paying jobs supporting that sector but also improving their quality of life over time.”
Commission report
Council accepted the report of its Citizens’ Commission on Community Investment, presented by Co-Chair Phyllis Ferguson.
The 30-member commission recommended the city seek to replace its expiring three-quarter-cent Police and Fire Pension Fund with a three-quarter-cent sales tax comprising two components.
One-quarter of the suggested sales tax would have no sunset and would focus on public safety, including funding the police/fire pension obligation through completion, meeting competitive public safety salaries and pursuing additional public safety initiatives.
The other two-quarters – a half-cent sales tax – would have a 10-year sunset and be used to fund additional public initiatives suggested in the Forward SGF comprehensive plan.
Council plans to consider the report and may recommend a ballot measure at a future meeting.
Other action items
