A long-awaited project to widen Galloway Street is expected to begin this summer.
The Galloway Street Widening Project will widen Galloway Street to three lanes between Luster and Lone Pine avenues, improving safety for traffic and pedestrians along Galloway Street. Improvements will include a new center turn lane, traffic calming roundabout intersections at Luster Avenue and at Lone Pine Avenue and upgraded stormwater infrastructure and improved drainage along Luster Avenue. The project will provide improved connectivity for all roadway users to Sequiota Park, the Galloway Greenway Trail and Galloway-area businesses, with a new multi-use path along the north side of Galloway Street and new sidewalk on the south side of the roadway.
The City hosted an informational open house and construction preview meeting in March, which drew more than 165 attendees.
“This is an important improvement for the Springfield community as we continue efforts to safely integrate vehicles, bicycles and pedestrian users on our transportation network and connect them to vital parts of our city,” explains Public Works Project Manager Nicholas Edelman. “Residents and visitors in the area will soon be able to more safely walk or ride their bike from the Galloway Village area to Luster Avenue and vice versa.”
The project ranked as the No. 2 priority project in City-wide transportation surveys conducted in 2015 and 2018. The design and partial right-of-way phases were completed in the 2016 1/4-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax renewal cycle. Springfield voters again showed support by approving funding for the construction of the widening in the 2019 renewal cycle of the 1/-4 cent sales tax.
The widening will be funded through the City’s 1/4-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax as well as $1.5 million (30%) from the Governor’s Transportation Cost Share Program. The project is expected to be advertised for contractor bids in April with construction anticipated to begin this summer.
Construction phasing and impacts
Construction on the widening project is expected to be divided into eight to 10 phases to maintain traffic flow and access throughout the project area. Work is expected to begin with the Lone Pine roundabout then continue west in phases. A detailed phasing plan and construction schedule will be determined once a contractor is selected.
“Access to all properties and residences in the project area will be maintained throughout construction,” Edelman says. “However, traffic may be directed to access a property from a certain direction for a period of time.”
Although local traffic will be maintained throughout construction, through traffic on Galloway is expected to be impacted for a significant portion of the project duration. North-south through traffic on Lone Pine and on Luster is also expected to be impacted for a period of several months during construction.
“It is the City’s goal to coordinate project phasing to minimize impacts to the public as much as possible,” explains Edelman. “We are also committed to keeping residents and businesses informed by providing regular project updates and providing a timeline so establishments can plan ahead in operations and communicate with customers and visitors.”
Visit the project webpage at springfieldmo.gov/galloway to view meeting materials and to view a brief staff presentation video. Those interested in the project are also encouraged to subscribe to receive regular Galloway Widening Project update emails.