House passes amended Adrian's Island bill

Looking eastward from the Missouri River pedestrian bridge in Jefferson City, Adrian's Island (which is actually a peninsula) can be seen jutting into the river at the left of the frame.
Looking eastward from the Missouri River pedestrian bridge in Jefferson City, Adrian's Island (which is actually a peninsula) can be seen jutting into the river at the left of the frame.

A bill that would give Jefferson City a small portion of land for riverfront access will go to Gov. Eric Greitens for final approval.

The Missouri House of Representatives last Wednesday passed 137-4, an amended bill that proposes donating 0.19 acres between the Senate garage and Veterans Memorial to Jefferson City so city officials can construct a bridge leading down to Adrian's Island.

The Missouri Senate amended House Bill 1838 - sponsored by state Rep. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City - in March after the House approved the original bill in February. With the approval of both the House and Senate, it now will go to Greitens for final approval.

"I'm just really happy to see it moving forward like this," Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin said. "It's a beautiful area and the perfect site for the riverfront access point with the bridge. This is such good news for Jefferson City and really the state and everybody who comes here to visit. When this project is completed and the bridge is completed, it's going to be such an asset for the area."

The amended version proposes various land conveyances to other entities along with the proposed 0.19 acres to Jefferson City.

The city wants to construct a 826-foot bridge leading down to Adrian's Island, 30 acres between the Missouri River and Union Pacific Railroad tracks and stretches from the Capitol to the former Missouri State Penitentiary. The plan is to create a park on the island.

The bridge would go over the Union Pacific railroad tracks. City officials hope to construct four railcar replicas that contain walking museums on the bridge to attract sponsors to the project.

With the proposed walking museums, the estimated cost for the project increased from $3.2 million to about $4 million, Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce President Randy Allen previously told the News Tribune.

An ad hoc committee raised about $2.3 million, with $1 million of that being a donation from local philanthropist B.J. DeLong.

The island has flooded five times since 2000, Todd Kempker, project manager with Bartlett & West said, but the plan would not place permanent structures on the island.