Blue Springs, Mo. – The City of Blue Springs will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, October 23 to celebrate substantial completion of Phase I of the Woods Chapel Road Reconstruction Project. The ceremony begins at 4 p.m. and will be held overlooking the Diverging Diamond Interchange from the parking lot of Pizza Hut, 1512 Woods Chapel Road, Blue Springs, Mo.
“This investment in our infrastructure addresses long-identified traffic flow concerns in past citizen visioning sessions and our annual Citizen Satisfaction Surveys,” said Mayor Carson Ross. “The reconstructed Woods Chapel Road corridor has dramatically streamlined rush hour congestion, better serves our existing businesses and creates a beautiful western gateway into Blue Springs.”
“This infrastructure investment has spurred new business interest to locate along the re-developing Woods Chapel Corridor,” said City Administrator Eric Johnson. “In August 2012, the concept plan for the Oaks at Woods Chapel was approved unanimously by the City Council and the first tenant, CVS, opened in August 2013.”
Construction on Phase I of the Woods Chapel Road Project began in April 2012 with a project cost of approximately thirteen million dollars. The City saved over ten million dollars by incorporating a diverging diamond interchange into the project design which repurposes the existing bridge over I-70. Over 30,000 vehicles travel through the Woods Chapel Road corridor daily.
Phase II of the Woods Chapel Road Reconstruction Project is currently undergoing utility relocations and is expected to be under construction throughout 2014 with substantial completion in the spring of 2015.
History
In August 2008, Blue Springs residents passed two bond issues for street and sewer improvements.
Question 1 authorized the use of a $35 million revenue bond for sewer facility improvements to meet mandated environmental regulations and to take advantage of low-interest state financing.
Question 2 authorized the issuance of $28 million in general obligation “No Tax Increase” bonds for road and intersection improvements including the widening of Woods Chapel Road, improvements to Duncan Road at Woods Chapel Road/R.D. Mize Road intersection, the extension of Moreland School Road to Liggett Road and improvements to the Colbern Road and Highway 7 intersection.
In September 2010, the City celebrated the completion of Moreland School Road to Liggett Road Extension Bond project. In January 2012, the Colbern Road & Highway 7 Intersection improvements were completed and in July 2013 the City of Blue Springs and the City of Grain Valley celebrated the completion of the Sni-a-Bar Waste Water Treatment Facility improvements.
For more information, contact Jeff Sell, Assistant Director of Public Works at (816) 228-0121.
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