Jefferson City Council considering Capitol Avenue infrastructure improvements

The Jefferson City Council is considering a $1.5 million project to improve infrastructure along Capital Avenue.

Two bills on the project and a funding agreement were presented to the City Council on Monday night.

ABC 17 News reported last week that the Cole County Commission agreed to pay for up to $600,000 of the project instead of a full 50 percent since project costs have risen from the original proposal.

The city would pay for the remaining roughly 60 percent of the project through the city’s half-cent capital improvement sales tax.

The work would include a rebuild of several blocks of sidewalks, a reconfiguration of the street to add bike lanes from the Katy Trail to the former state penitentiary as well as the addition of decorative street lighting for several blocks.

Second Ward Councilman Rick Mihalevich said even though the city would have to pay for more than the first drafted agreement, it is worth it to boost the revitalization efforts in the blighted area.

“I think our standards for that street were higher than what the county had originally anticipated,” Mihalevich said. “The sales tax as as opposed, as passed by the City of Jefferson and the County of Cole, ask for $11 million that were going to be shared. We’ll still get those shared projects.”

The council is set to vote on the project at its next meeting on April 17.

Work would begin shortly after, if the project is approved.