The Pettis County Commission attended Monday night’s Sedalia City Council meeting to discuss plans for the upcoming Katy Trail Overpass replacement project.
The Katy Trail Overpass on U.S. Highway 50 is in need of replacement due to multiple safety issues. Councilwoman Vicky Collins asked the commission members if the current bridge is indeed a safety hazard.
“The Sedalia (Police Department) did a study when we were writing the grant for this and in the last three years it’s had major collisions three times per year for three years, so it’s well documented it’s a safety issue,” Eastern Commissioner Brent Hampy replied. “The second reason it’s a safety issue is because we’ve had several kids throwing objects off the bridges into vehicle windshields, and the third problem is it restricts traffic flow; people beside the large trucks that hit it are in jeopardy with loads coming loose, so it’s a safety hazard in many ways.”
The discussion started because council was reviewing an ordinance amending the budget for Fiscal Year 2015-16 for the Katy Trail Overpass project. Hampy said the county has not yet approved any bids, but the low bid came in about $80,000 over the amount of the available grant and city/county funds, according to the meeting packet. The city’s share of the increased cost is $20,000, and the county and state will cover the remaining portion.
City Administrator Gary Edwards told council the City of Sedalia’s budget has already allocated $25,000 for the project, and now the city’s total cost will be $45,000.
Hampy told council the new overpass will be a steel bridge with a concrete deck and a 10-foot fence to hopefully deter people from throwing items over the side. He added that it will have a clearance of 16 to 17 feet to help larger semi-trucks pass through easily.
“We’ll take off the two bridges there and pour concrete to raise the beams up,” Hampy explained. “The bridge will have a 10-ton rating so the beams required are a lot smaller; that’s where you increase your clearance.”
Since a bid has not been accepted by the commission, an exact start and finish date for the project has not been set, however, Hampy said work will begin in the spring and the commission hopes to have it finished by the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival in the beginning of June 2016.
The city has been in talks with State Fair Community College to purchase the McLaughlin building — which was donated to the school by the McLaughlins — on Ohio Avenue in downtown Sedalia from the college. Edwards informed council during Monday’s meeting that the sale would not be happening.
“(SFCC representatives) came in last week and indicated they no longer would like to sell (the building) to the city, so they’re going a different direction,” he said. “We checked with the previous owner, Mary McLaughlin, and she had a long talk with (SFCC) also and it’s her understanding after talking with them that it’s because of the TIF (district approved by council). That’s the reason they decided not to pursue selling it to the city at a reasonable price.”
The building will now go back on the market to be sold to a business or individual.
During the meeting council also:
• Approved Change Order No. 1 from KAT Excavation for $9,157 for the Streetscape Phase IIIa project. According to the meeting packet, the majority of the cost is for the reinstallation of traffic loop signals and alterations necessary to the electric meter.
• Approved a quote of $24,996 for the purchase of a 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 4×4 Crew Cab 1/2 Ton Pickup from Bryant Motor Co. for the Water Pollution Control Department through the State of Missouri Cooperative Purchasing Program.
• Approved Change Order No. 5 from Spray Con Utilities Inc. for the Collection System Rehabilitation Phase Ia Project, Base Bid, Bid Package No. 2 for $13,793. According to the packet, this change is needed to repair two sewer main pipes in which special conditions were found during construction.
• Approved an ordinance amending the budget for Fiscal Year 2015-16 regarding the Streetscape Phase IIIa project. This is necessary because of the above related item.
• Approved an ordinance approving and accepting Amendment No. 3 to Exhibit M to the master agreement for professional services with Olsson Associates for engineering services.
• Approved an ordinance approving an agreement with DEI Consulting for consulting services related to recycling and solid waste.
• Approved the appointment of Barbara Hayden to the TIF Commission, completing Ron Ditzfeld’s term expiring July 2019.