Public Works and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) have teamed up to collectively bid the construction of the final phase of Republic Road Widening Project at Campbell Avenue alongside interchange improvements to Campbell Avenue and James River Freeway.
The project will include the widening of Republic Road from three lanes to five lanes between Fairview Avenue and the traffic signal at Chase, including sidewalk and Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades, stormwater improvements and the addition of bike lanes. Improvements will be constructed at the intersections of Republic Road and Campbell Avenue and Republic Road and the driveway at Chase, including upgrades to traffic signals. Construction will also extend north on Campbell Avenue, including updates to stormwater and utility infrastructure. MoDOT will work on the Campbell Avenue and U.S. 60 James River Freeway intersection project simultaneously.
“We were wrapping up the design of the widening project last fall and expected to begin construction by spring when MoDOT reached out about their plans for interchange improvements,” explained Public Works Project Manager Andy Haase. “Because of the high traffic volume and close proximity of these projects, using different contractors for each could result in conflicts with traffic control, an increase in costs and a threat to safety.”
The City and MoDOT decided to work together on a combination bidding strategy, where all project elements are bid together and required to award to the lowest overall contract bid, Haase explained.
MoDOT advertised the projects this spring. Contracts are expected to be in place with a notice to proceed on August 1.
“We expect work to begin early this fall, but because there are several projects in one, there’s no way to say at this time when the contractor will begin on the Republic Road widening portion of the job,” says Haase. “We hope to have a construction schedule figured out soon after we have a contract in place.”
Approved by voters in the 2016 cycle of the 1/8-cent Transportation Sales Tax, the Republic Road Widening Phases 4 & 5 project includes a cost share with MoDOT, and has a total estimated cost of $4 million.