The Kirksville Public Works Department proposed a plan at the Airport and Transportation Commission meeting Sept. 8 to improve streets in Downtown Kirksville.
The plan, which involves mainly resurfacing roads, still needs to gain approval from the City Council before the project can be finalized. The Council will discuss the proposal during their meeting Sept. 21.
Len P. Kollars, Assistant Public Works Director and City Engineer, said the project will cost about $400 thousand, with funds mainly coming from the transportation sales tax, and a small amount supplied by Tax Increment Financing.
If the project is approved, Kollars said Public Works will begin the project when temperatures begin to warm the roads, likely during April or May of 2016. He said the project will likely be completed by July 1, 2016.
The majority of the work will take place downtown on The Square, Kollars said. He said there are some tentative plans of making some one-way streets into two-way, but that there is no firm commitment to that part of the project. Kollars said the main work will involve resurfacing and marking pavement.
Kollars said the poor condition of the roads made Public Works decide a repair was in order.
“It’s been the mid-90s since these roads have been overlayed,” Kollars said. “The roads require a lot of pothole maintenance.”
Kollars said the work should cause minimal inconvenience to downtown businesses and visitors.
“Work will happen during the night time, or after business hours,” Kollars said. “Businesses shouldn’t be affected by this.”