Bike/pedestrian plan approved

Eleanor Schepers, left, and Louis Schepers enjoy morning biking Monday, May 15, 2017 on the Katy Trail near Jefferson City.
Eleanor Schepers, left, and Louis Schepers enjoy morning biking Monday, May 15, 2017 on the Katy Trail near Jefferson City.

The Jefferson City Council has approved a pedestrian and bike plan for the city. The plan aims to improve safety, connectivity and mobility for bikers and walkers.

The Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), which includes Jefferson City and other Mid-Missouri municipalities, approved the plan in October after 18 months of development. The Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission approved the plan in February, and the Planing and Zoning Commission gave their approval in April sending it to the City Council for final approval.

The plan looks to address several areas in Jefferson City:

  • Improve sidewalk connectivity, updating the city's sidewalk plan with the goal to improve access to schools, residential areas and local businesses;
  • Review policies and ordinances to include language about making streets, roads and sidewalks safe and accessible;
  • Develop signed bike lanes and routes;
  • Improve trail connectivity;
  • Improve pedestrian and bike safety measures; and
  • Improve tourism and support economic development.

St. Martins has approved a plan for its community, and Holts Summit also has a plan in place.

The final plan will be used to make recommendations for all communities within CAMPO, each of which has some type of goal for pedestrian paths. However, the CAMPO plan will be more overarching, seeking to provide guidance for all communities within the organization.

Another aspect of the plan is education and encouraging people to walk and ride bicycles more. On that side of the plan, officials said CAMPO may try to get involved with school districts and other local jurisdictions to come up with the best ways to educate people on how to be safe while walking or riding.

City officials also noted having these policies and designations in place would enhance Central Missouri's eligibility for federal funds for various projects.

Fire trucks approved

In other action Monday night, the council waived formal procedures and gave approval of a lease purchase agreement for new fire trucks.

The council had earlier approved the proposal from Fire Chief Matt Schofield to fund the replacement of the fire department's frontline fleet. The financing would allow the department to purchase seven trucks (two ladder trucks, two rescue engines and three pumpers.)

The agreement approved Monday is with BMO Harris for the financing, obligating the city to repay $5.7 million in combined interest and principal to be drawn out of the city's capital improvements sales tax over the next 11 years. After that time, the city would own the trucks.

A bill to purchase the trucks from Rosenbauer America/Sentinal Emergency Solutions was introduced Monday night and could be approved at the next council meeting in June.

Schofield said this will allow the department to utilize three of the trucks in the current frontline fleet to update their reserve apparatus (four trucks) which Schofield said are often pressed into service during maintenance intervals and peak demand circumstances.

From the time of order it takes approximately one year to build and deliver the apparatus.

Port study funding bill offered

A bill was introduced to help fund a study to determine if a multimodal port facility should be located in Cole County. The City Finance Committee had given it's blessing to the measure in April and sent it to the full council for final approval.

Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce President Randy Allen said they hope the study could be accomplished concurrently with a statewide study by MoDOT to determine the economic benefit of the entire Missouri and Mississippi River ports. Allen said there is a belief there will be a renaissance of ports because they can provide cheaper transportation of goods, they are environmentally friendly, and can take trucks off of highways reducing congestion and wear and tear on roads.

It is anticipated Jefferson City, Cole County and Callaway County would partner to develop the Port Authority, which could be located adjacent to the Missouri National Guard Ike Skelton Training Facility on the Missouri River near the Chamber of Commerce's industrial park. Guard officials said they would be interested in a port that would allow them to move equipment and materials easily.

Callaway County is offering another potential site, located on the river toward Hartsburg, near current baseball fields, with access from U.S. 50/63.

The chamber is asking $47,600 from each of these government entities to help fund the study.

Allen said if they get the funding, they anticipate the study should be done for this area by early fall. 

The statewide study is not expected until December.