FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Construction expected to begin mid-December
Springfield City Council approved the final plans and specifications for the Renew Jordan Creek phase one project and awarded the construction contract to Branco Enterprises, Inc. at a special City Council meeting on Dec. 3. The approved contract sets a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for construction of the creek daylighting effort at $26.8 million.
A separate ordinance approved the issuance of up to $6.5 million in Special Obligation Bonds to utilize a State of Missouri funding package including a $3.5 million federal Affordability and Water Quality Incentive Grant in conjunction with State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans for the purpose of funding the project.
Renew Jordan Creek is a transformative project to restore the historic Jordan Creek as it flows through the heart of downtown Springfield. The phase I project area consists of two large blocks in the urbanized center of Jordan Valley Park, bordered on the east by Boonville Avenue, Water Street on the south, Main Avenue on the west, and Mill Street on the north.
The overall project goals include flood reduction and water quality improvements, in addition to pedestrian and connectivity enhancements, sustainable greenspaces integration, comfort and safety improvements and sense of place development. Later phases of the community-developed Jordan Creek Masterplan envision improvements at Founders Park and the City-owned property at 404 N. Jefferson Ave.
Funding for construction of phase I will come from a variety of local sources combined with a number of outside grants. Local funding will come from the City’s Level Property Tax, ¼-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax, and Environmental Services Green Infrastructure and Clean Water funds. External funding sources include Local ARPA funds, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) ARPA funds, a Department of Economic Development ARPA grant, Environmental Protection Agency and DNR grants as well as Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) program assistance.
“Awarding the contract to Branco and securing our financing will now allow us to proceed to construction after many years of community-directed design and funding development,” explained Public Works Project Manager Kirkland Preston. “We expect Branco to begin work as soon as the contract paperwork is processed, which could be as early as mid-December. There is still opportunity, however, for philanthropic support to help enhance the daylighted creek as an amenity for events and activities downtown.”
Anticipated construction schedule and impacts
Construction of the Renew Jordan Creek phase one project is scheduled to last approximately two years with a completion date forecasted in late 2026.
Local traffic and access to businesses, residences and parking will be maintained throughout construction. However, the public may be directed to access a property nearby the work zone from a certain direction for a period of time. Construction is expected to impact through traffic nearby the work site for a large portion of the project duration.
Anticipated major road closure phases include:
- Water Street Closure Phase – Beginning mid-December 2024 through March of 2025
Water Street will close to through traffic in two sections – between Campbell and Boonville avenues, and between Boonville and Jefferson avenues – to facilitate construction staging and utility work for the daylighting project.
- Campbell Street Closure Phase – Expected beginning early 2025 through early 2026
Campbell Avenue will close to traffic for approximately one year between Water and Mill Streets. Work will include the demolition and reconstruction of the Campbell Avenue culvert bridge and construction of elements for temporary diversion of the flow of Jordan Creek.
- Boonville Closure Phase – Expected beginning early 2026 through late 2026
Anticipated to begin in late 2025, Boonville Avenue will close to traffic between Water Street and Mill Street for the demolition of Boonville Avenue and Missouri State University east parking lot and installation of new box culvert, sanitary sewer system extension and creek diversion.
Additional roadway closure details will be communicated as scheduling information becomes available.
For more information on upcoming construction and traffic impacts and to sign up to receive regular project email updates, visit renewjordancreek.com/construction.
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Media Contact: Communications Coordinator Kristen Milam at 573-819-3713 or [email protected].
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
