Kingshighway improvements approved by City Council

The Rolla City Council recently approved an agreement with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) that will have a far-reaching impact not only on the development of Kingshighway, but possibly the future development of Rolla.

The most immediate impact of the agreement, which was approved by City Ordinance, will result in the relocation of the traffic signal currently at the intersection of Kingshighway and Fairgrounds Road to the future intersection of Kingshighway and Bryant Drive by MoDOT. The new signals, which will be funded by MoDOT at an estimated cost of $161,151, will be installed this year with completion estimated to correspond with the completion of the Bryant Drive extension improvements in December 2010.

Bryant Drive (located next to Pizza Inn and the Sylvan Learning Center), will be extended between the Fairgrounds Auto Dealership and the new McDonald’s Restaurant north to Fairgrounds Road. These improvements will also provide one of the gateway entrances to the new Innovation Park being developed by Missouri S&T.

Also included in the agreement with MoDOT and newly approved ordinance, but slated for 2012, will be improving the Kingshighway Interchange with Interstate 44. These improvements will consist of the installation of two roundabouts, which will greatly improve the capacity and safety of these heavily traveled intersections. The current traffic signals at the Martin Springs Drive intersection will be removed and replaced with a roundabout, and the second roundabout will be located on the north side of the Kingshighway/I-44 overpass. This configuration is commonly referred to as a dog bone design because of the location of the roundabouts at both ends of the highway. Plans also include the eventual stripping by MoDOT of the I-44 overpass at Kingshighway so there will be two east-bound lanes and two west-bound lanes. The estimated cost of these improvements is $1,760,051. The improvements are part of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan, which will be funded by MoDOT.

In addition to these improvements, the City of Rolla will be responsible (as MoDOT relinquishes ownership to the City for Kingshighway) for widening Kingshighway from three to five lanes from the Martin Springs Drive/Kingshighway interchange (adjacent to HJ Drive) to the new intersection of Bryant Drive. This will be done during the same time frame in 2012 as the interchange improvements and is estimated to cost $250,000.

These significant improvements to Kingshighway and the new Bryant Drive extension will greatly enhance traffic flow and safety, and create a more welcoming, attractive appearance for visitors coming off I-44. The improvements will also send a message to future developers, investors and businesses/industries that Rolla is a progressive City planning for its future growth and prosperity.

In closing I’d like to say how pleased I was with how quickly and professionally the milling, paving and stripping of 10th Street from Forum Drive to Pine Street was accomplished last week by Rolla Asphalt and the City’s Public Works Department, which oversaw the paving project. In addition to thanking all who were involved in that effort, I would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to our residents for your patience, cooperation and understanding as this important project was completed. I think we will all appreciate the smooth ride along 10th Street from Pine to Forum in the weeks and months to come.

Please also remember that this weekend is the “Back to School Sales Tax Holiday” that officially began last night at 12:01 a.m. and ends at midnight on Sunday, Aug. 8. The sales tax holiday (City tax savings of 2.5% and State tax savings of 4.225%), is intended to provide tax relief to families with children attending school by exempting the sales tax on clothing, personal computers, certain computer software, and school supplies. The ASA Boys 10U-18U and Mens 23U Fast Pitch Softball National Tournament also continues through this weekend at the Ber Juan Sportsplex located off 18th Street in Rolla. More than 2,500 individuals are expected to participate and attend the national tournament. Let’s all extend a warm Rolla welcome to all of the players, coaches, and staff (and parents, grandparents, family and friends), who will travel hundreds of miles across the U.S. to participate in the tournament.