The City of Springfield is in the final planning stages of two upcoming roadway improvement projects impacting the Galloway Village neighborhood. An update on the Galloway Street Widening and Battlefield and Lone Pine Intersection Improvement projects was provided to the Galloway Village Neighborhood Association in October, with more detailed information to come in the spring.
The widening of Galloway Street to three lanes between Luster Avenue and Lone Pine Avenue has been anticipated for years and is expected to improve safe traffic and pedestrian connections to Sequiota Park and the Galloway Greenway Trail. The project will widen the road to three lanes, providing a center lane for turning traffic, sidewalks along the south side of the roadway and a multi-use path on the north side. Two traffic calming roundabout intersections will be installed at Galloway Street and Luster Avenue and at Galloway and Lone Pine Avenue. Stormwater infrastructure will also be upgraded and drainage improved along Luster Avenue.
The project is anticipated for contractor bidding in the spring , with an estimated construction cost of $5 million, funded through a Governor’s Cost Share Grant and the ¼-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax.
“Contractors are very busy right now and material supply and cost is still pretty high following the pandemic, so we’re not sure what to expect when we put this project out to bid,” explains project manager Nicholas Edelman. “Recent bids have come in 30-50% higher than our cost estimates, if we receive any bids at all. It’s hard to plan for that and provide a solid idea of when construction will take place in the current industry environment.”
With a feasible bid in the spring, says Edelman, the City hopes to begin construction in the summer.
Design plans are also being finalized for future intersection improvements at Battlefield Road and Lone Pine Avenue.
The improvements will include the addition of three dedicated right turn lanes to improve traffic flow and safety – providing turning lanes for northbound to eastbound, eastbound to southbound and westbound to northbound turns. The project will also include traffic signal upgrades and pedestrian and Americans with Disabilities Act improvements.
The project is estimated at a cost of $800,000 and will be funded through the ¼-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax. Intersection improvements are not expected to begin until late 2023, following the completion of the Galloway Widening Project.
“We know traffic flow through the Galloway neighborhood will be impacted by construction associated with the Galloway widening project,” says Edelman. “We don’t want to throw two projects at you at the same time, so we’ll wait and see how Galloway goes, then plan to tackle Battlefield and Lone Pine after that.”
For questions or comments about the projects, contact Nicholas Edelman at Nicholas.edelman@springfieldmo.gov.