Work starts on Scott Blvd. in Columbia Friday

Work is scheduled to begin on a major Columbia road starting Friday. Phase 3 of the Scott Blvd. road construction project was scheduled to start at 7:00 a.m.

The project involves rebuilding the road from Vawter School Road south to State Route KK, about 1.8 miles south of the road.

Workers will first shut down Scott Blvd. from Leighton Road south to Route KK. This will include building a roundabout at the intersection of Scott Blvd. and Route KK. Columbia Public Works expects that phase of the project to finish in spring 2016. Then, work will move north of Leighton Road, and the road will be closed from there to the roundabout at Vawter School Road.

The goals of the project include improved line of sight along the entire project, left turn pockets, water quality cells for stormwater.

The $8 million project was financed through voter-approved 1/4 cent capital improvement sales tax, transportation sales tax funds, and county road improvement funds.

The project is scheduled to be done by late 2016, when the new elementary school is scheduled to open.

Columbia police set up several signs through the Thornbrook neighborhood, one of the few alternate routes available while the road remains closed.