Summer-long Columbia project to start on College Avenue

A road project lasting several months will start Monday morning on College Avenue, closing several lanes on a portion of the street.

Construction workers with Aplex Inc. will close the left lanes heading both north and south at 7 a.m. Monday morning between University Avenue and Rollins Street, weather permitting, according to the city’s Public Works department. Crews will build a stone median where the left turn lane is now, with pedestrian-activated crosswalks, or HAWK Lights, at the north and south ends of the median. Public Works spokesman Steve Sapp said he expects the project to be “substantially” complete by August 21.

Because of the new median, no left turns will be possible onto or out of Rosemary Lane and Wilson Avenue, both streets leading into the East Campus neighborhood.

A project idea since 2009, the University of Missouri and City of Columbia will share part of the cost, each paying $35,000, to limit jaywalking on the busy road on the school’s east side. A study done in 2009 by the engineering firm Crawford, Bunte and Braimmeier revealed 5,000 people crossed the street in a two-day period without the use of the existing traffic signals at Rollins Street or University Avenue. The study also estimated 19,000 cars drove through that section on an average weekday.

The report ultimately called the section “unsafe according to nationally accepted references.”

A majority of the funding for the project comes from MoDOT and a $750,000 grant.

Columbia Public Works said the sidewalks on College Avenue may also be closed periodically for the project.