The Missouri Department of Transportation is close to acquiring all the right of way needed for the next phase of the Highway 100 widening project, a MoDOT official said.
The project will involve constructing additional lanes from a point just west of Highway 47 to west of High Street.
The city and MoDOT have entered into an agreement to share the cost of the projected $12 million project.
MoDOT negotiated to acquire five parcels of property needed for the widening.
“We’ve settled on all the parcels, and we expect to close on those soon,” said Judy Wagner, MoDOT area engineer.
The terms of the settlements are in “final draft review,” she said this week.
Meanwhile, MoDOT is close to seeking bids from construction firms for the 1.5-mile-long improvement project.
Wagner said the schedule is to advertise for 30 days and open bids Jan. 23, 2013. MoDOT proposes to award a contract Feb. 20, 2013.
The project is slated to be constructed in 2013-14.
The city recently deposited $3,513,492 with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission under the cost-sharing agreement for the improvement project.
Total cost of the project is estimated at $12,082,902 which includes engineering, right of way acquisition, right of way incidental, utility relocations, construction and construction engineering.
That leaves the city’s total share at $6,041,451.
The city is funding its share of the 50-50 project out of the half-cent transportation sales tax approved by voters six years ago.
Under the agreement, the city will use a $950,000 federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant it received for improving the Highway A intersection.
The plan is to widen Highway 100 from two to five lanes — four traffic lanes and one center turn lane — add dual left turn lanes on Route A/Jefferson Street and add pedestrian facilities and signalized intersections that comply with federal ADA standards.
All of the widening is proposed to be done on the north side of the highway which is expected to result in some cost savings.
When done, this work will complete the highway widening all the way from High Street to Interstate 44, a project that was promised when Washington voters approved the half-cent transportation sales tax in 2005.
