City of Springfield plans nearly $80 million worth of capital improvements

(From the City of Springfield)

If given the green light by the Planning & Zoning Commission in December and City Council on Jan. 29, 2018, the City of Springfield will spend nearly $80 million on 114 capital improvement projects and programs during the 2018 fiscal year. Twenty-two projects and programs identified in the 2017 Capital Improvements Program Plan have been completed as promised at a cost of $41.6 million.

By definition, capital improvement projects are:

• individual projects that are relatively large in project size and scope
• are estimated to cost $100,000 or more
• are significant, permanent or have a useful life of six years or more
• include the construction of new streets, parks, storm water and sanitary sewer facilities, improvements to the landfill, airport, zoo and public facilities, buildings and grounds
• can include comprehensive programs which consolidate many smaller individual improvements that do not individually meet the $100,000 threshold. Examples are sidewalks, stormwater and sewer repair, signal enhancement and neighborhood improvement programs.
• Can include acquisition of property, land, right of way or easements, but should not include the purchase of equipment or services. The only exception to this is when the purchase of equipment is part of the initial startup of a project that involves a new service. For example, if a new fire station is proposed for funding, the fire trucks (and other equipment meeting the criteria listed above) should be included.
  

City of Springfield capital improvement projects are prioritized based on their relationship to the following City Council adopted priorities: Public Safety, Legislative Engagement, Fiscal Sustainability and Economic Vitality.

The planned 2018 projects include ones that are city-wide and in each of the four City Council zones, with the majority of work planned for Zone 1, the City’s northwest quadrant.

“The Capital Improvements Program is a schedule and strategy for funding and planning the construction, maintenance and replacement of the infrastructure and public facilities for a six-year planning window,” said Principal City Planner Randall Whitman.

The program identifies capital projects and programs that will be funded in 2018 and those projects and programs potentially funded between 2019-2023.

Whitman said the CIP is updated on an annual basis, creating an opportunity for new projects or programs to be added and existing projects to be amended, as construction schedules and funding demands. This annual review allows projects and programs to receive consideration for funding and inclusion in the annual budget.

“The CIP also strives to align anticipated capital improvements with adopted plans, studies and related programs the City and its various departments are charged with following,” Whitman said.

The primary funding source for Capital Improvement Projects is the 1/4-cent Capital Improvement Project Sales Tax, which has been renewed every three years by Springfield voters since its inception in 1989.  Other funding sources include the 1/8-cent Transportation Sales Tax, the Level Property Tax, the 1/4-cent Parks Sales Tax, and state and federal funding. Many of the projects have already been programmed and solicited for funding in connection with the 2016 renewal of the 1/4-Cent Capital Improvement and 1/8-Cent Transportation sales taxes.

Zone 1 projects

• Acquire airport snow removal equipment
• Remodel and expand airport secure side restaurant
• Land acquisition – new fire station, Westside/West Central Neighborhoods
• Design – Frisco Lane - street improvements
• Nichols Park - playground equipment, walking trail, signage, picnic tables, park benches, soccer goals
• Tom Watkins Park – restrooms, support facility, playground equipment, walking trail, signage
• Design - Chestnut South trunk sewer
• Partnership Industrial Center West – infrastructure development
• Design - Central Street improvements phase 2, Grant Avenue to Clay Avenue
• Construction - College Street streetscape, Grant Avenue to Market Avenue
• Division Street and Commercial Street - turn lane and safety improvements
• Grand Street improvements and bridge replacement, from Park Avenue to Kansas Expressway
• Grant Avenue & Route 66 streetscape, between Walnut Street and Olive Street
• Main Avenue bridge improvements over Jordan Creek
• Mount Vernon Street bridge improvements over Jordan Creek
• US 65 and Division Street - interchange improvements
• Commercial Street pedestrian ways – various locations
• Design - Grant Avenue and Division Street - intersection improvements
• National Avenue and Bennett Street - traffic and signal improvements
• CDBG sidewalk improvements – Grand Street, Park Avenue to West Avenue
• CDBG sidewalk improvements – Jefferson Avenue, Kearney Street to Turner Street
• CDBG sidewalk improvements – Kansas Expressway, Talmage Street to Kearney Street
• CDBG sidewalk improvements – Turner Street, Benton Avenue to Robberson Avenue.

Zone 2 projects

• Design - replacement of Fire Stations 4 and 7
• Design - sanitary sewer overflow reduction project - Smith Park
• Design - Beechwood Heights Phase I - storm water improvements
• Design - Gelven Withers Subdivision - storm water improvements
• Springfield Industrial Park Subdivision - storm water improvements
• Design - Cherry Street improvements, Barnes Avenue to Oak Grove Avenue
• Design - Division Street improvements, National Avenue to Glenstone Avenue design
• National Avenue and Bennett Street - traffic and signal improvements
• CDBG sidewalk improvements – East Central Street, 1600 block
• CDBG sidewalk improvements – Commercial Street, gaps from Pacific Avenue to Missouri Avenue.

Zone 3 projects

• Design - Kansas Expressway extension, Republic Road to Farm Road 190
• Nathanael Greene / Close Memorial Park entrance, road & parking improvements
• Design - Southwest Treatment Plant solar farm
• Design – Yard Waste Recycling Center, bagging plant
• Design - Silsby Street - storm water improvements, Jefferson Avenue to Kimbrough Avenue
• Design - Campbell & Walnut Lawn - intersection improvements
• Grand Street improvements and bridge replacement, from Park Avenue to Kansas Expressway
• Republic Road phase 4 street improvements, Fairview Avenue to Chase Street
• Republic Road – widening & storm water improvements, between Golden Street and Route FF.

Zone 4 projects

• Meador Park improvements – playground equipment, walking trail, signage, tennis courts/pickle ball
• improvements, lighting, fencing
• Blackman Woods - lift station relief sewer
• Lone Pine Recycling Center - site upgrades
• Galloway Village - Lone Pine storm water improvements
• Design - Linden Avenue and Latoka Street - storm water improvements
• Ravenwood South Subdivision Phase II - storm water improvements
• Battlefield Street & Fremont Avenue - intersection improvements
• Design - Campbell Avenue & Walnut Lawn - intersection improvements
• Eastgate Avenue / Mill Street - intersection improvements
• Fremont Avenue, Battlefield Street to Sunset Street – street improvements
• Design - Galloway Street improvements - Luster Avenue to Lone Pine Avenue
• Primrose Street improvements - South Avenue to Kimbrough Avenue
• The Link – Cox Health Systems campus.
  

City-wide projects include a reforestation and landscaping program, school sidewalks, sidewalk/curb/gutter and ramp construction, floodplain acquisition and stormwater improvement, bicycle routes signs and markings, neighborhood improvements and the Neighborhood Works program.  

Whitman added that the development of the 2018 Capital Improvements Program represents a collaboration between multiple City departments, resulting in a comprehensive database of all public improvement needs planned everywhere in the City, from the airport to the zoo.

The Capital Improvements Program fulfills the City’s Charter requirement that the City Manager shall “... secure an estimate of all capital projects pending and of those which it is recommended should be undertaken (a) within the budget year and (b) within the next five succeeding years.”


View the draft of the 2018 Capital Improvements Program Plan.
View the draft summary of the 2018 Capital Improvements Program Plan.