6 alternatives presented to City Council following vote in November
By Jessica Breger cassvilleads@gmail.com
As a result of the November 2024 General Election vote nixing a proposed roundabout at Central and Broadway, City of Monett officials are weighing options for a route forward.
The project took center stage at the Monett City Council’s regular Dec. 12, 2024, meeting, as well as a Jan. 2 work session.
During the City Administrator Report at regular city council meeting, council members heard from Interim City Administrator J. Jeff Hancock about the status of Central Avenue Project.
In the November 2024 General Election, residents voted 1,810-1,585 to cease the proposed roundabout project at the intersection of Central and Broadway, the design of which was part of the Central Avenue Street Improvement Project approved in 2015 and utilizing both city and Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) funds.
If the project had moved forward, approximately seven businesses would have been forced to relocate.
As part of a packed improvement plan, halting the roundabout has triggered the reengineering of a new project improve the intersection in order to keep MoDOT funding.
During a work session meeting on Jan. 9, Jon Batchelor, PE, with Transystems presented six new alternatives, options A through F, for the improvement plan.
Option A would focus on 1,100 feet of storm sewer repairs on First Street from Kelly Creek to Central Avenue, costing approximately $500,000.
Option B focuses on both storm sewer and sidewalks on Central Ave between Bond and Broadway streets up to Cleveland Avenue. This option would cost an approximate an approximate $1,500,000 and would in part utilize already available Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding.
Option C would be already designed improvements along Central Avenue, from Broadway St. to Cleveland Avenue. This is a full reconstruction of the area to include curbs, sidewalk and driveways. Option C would not include storm sewer replacement, and it would cost an approximate $2,250,000 also partially utilizing existing TAP funding for the sidewalk improvements.
Option D combines Option C and Option A to include storm sewer replacement with an estimated cost of $3,250,000 still utilizing TAP funding for portions of the improvements. Both options C and D would also include street lights.
Option E is an engineering study of the areas in question resulting in a report and recommendations for alternatives to the Central Avenue roundabout before moving forward on any improvements.
“Within the study, we would take a look at the safety components,” Batchelor said. “We would look at the traffic. We would basically update all of those numbers and data collection, because what we have previously been going on a about a 15-year old study at this point.”
The final option, Option F, would combine options D and E, allowing work to begin while an engineering study is performed. Concern was raised that the results of the study could impact what needs to be done and could result in having to revisit work already performed before the results are presented.
Mayor Randy Burke said he sees Option B as the minimum because it addresses safety issues with the storm sewers.”
Concerns were voiced by both Batchelor and Burke about future improvements impacting work done within these options, with Batchelor advising Option C rather than D, citing future road work would likely require the improvements made to sidewalks curbs, and driveway approaches to be torn up and repaired.
Council Member Ken Gaspar said he preferred option D.
“It’s what we proposed to the community when we put the transportation tax on the ballot,” he said.
Gaspar noted the tax was to improve Central Avenue and Chapel Drive. Council members agreed whichever option is considered, they also need to ensure funds are available for the city’s Chapel Hill project as well.
No decisions were made on the options during the meetings, as future discussions planned to include community input.
The City Council also discussed the availability of community input following residents’ concerns over not having a comments portion during council meetings.
The Council agreed that a comment portion should be added, now allotting for time at the end of meeting for residents to speak. Anyone wishing to address council may have 3 minutes each to speak, or they may be placed on the agenda if a request is made to the city clerk 24 hours prior to a meeting.
Regular City Council Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. At the Monett School District Board Room, with video available on the city’s website the following day.
