Springfield Highway Patrol facility on project list

A committee in the General Assembly has put together a list of potential capital improvement projects around the state, and the Missouri Highway Patrol's Springfield facility on East Kearney Street has made the cut.

The state Joint Committee on Capital Improvements and Leasing Oversight approved the list, which includes projects that it feels should be considered if federal stabilization money becomes available, during a hearing Tuesday.

The list contains more than $984 million in projects, including $5 million for evidence storage at the Missouri Highway Patrol facility in Springfield.

Other projects on the list include $40 million for renovations to Truman State University's Baldwin/McClain building; $5 million for the Kansas City Area Transit Authority; $31.2 million for the University of Missouri's Ellis Fischel Cancer Center; $75 million to expand the Missouri Sexual Predator facility in Farmington; and $28.5 million for renovations at Benton & Stadler halls on the UM-St. Louis campus.

"Given the current budget situation we are facing, it's difficult to say whether federal stabilization dollars will be available for the projects we've targeted," said committee chairman Rep. Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, in a news release. "However, if funds are available after we meet our budgetary obligations, there are several projects across the state that could move forward with the assistance of stabilization money."

The state committee, which has five members each from the House and Senate, accepted project lists from all state agencies, public higher education facilities and communities, as well as General Assembly members. The committee then developed a ranking system based on construction and renovation of facilities; economic development; maintenance and repair; public transportation; and technology infrastructure.