Three issues involving new roads were resolved at the Branson Board of Aldermen’s meeting on Oct. 28.
One involved whether the street commonly called Forsythe Street would be changed to Forsythe Boulevard. It was no issue until street signs designating the realigned street as “Forsythe Boulevard” showed up when the road was reopened.
As a result of the public concern raised City Engineer David Miller went back and researched the name when Forsythe was originally accepted into the city. His research revealed the proper name was “Forsythe Street” not “Boulevard.” City Administrator Dean Kruithof said the road would be called Forsythe Street and that the signage would be changed to reflect that fact.
The board vacated the right-of-way covering the old location of where Forsyth Street used to be, just west of its current location. The land has been sold to TanStone Group LLC. The title company however had some problems with the fact that the transfer did not include a right of way vacation by the city. The action taken by the board vacates the right of way and resolves any further ownership issues in that regard.
The Board also gave first reading approval for the final phase of the Fall Creek Extension project. The project will provide the completion of the final phase of a project, on which $3 million dollars has already been spent, providing a new north/south arterial road between Highway 76 and Roark Valley Road.
The project will also include the realignment and straightening of the segment of Fall Creek Road immediately to the south of Highway 76. According to studies done in connection with the Branson’s 2001 Comprehensive Transportation Plan, when the project is completed the road will have over 9,300 cars per day traveling it.
While acknowledging the tightness of the current budget situation board members expressed their belief that it was a needed project and 2009 provided a financial window to get it done without bonding before other major projects came up in a few years that could require bonding. The board’s approval also contains a bonding option, as insurance, that provides additional financial flexibility to the city in financing the project.
Original estimates prior to requesting bids earlier this year were as high as $7.5 million and even while the bids were out, the lowest estimate was about $5.5 million. When the bids came in, Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. d/b/a ESS Contractors, came in with a low bid of $4,545,681 and was the low bidder of three on the project. When the acceptance of the bid was first presented to the board back in Sep. it was postponed until the Oct. 28 meeting while the budget was being finalized.
The project is scheduled for completed within 360 days of its start and its first phase is scheduled to be the realignment and straightening of the segment of Fall Creek Road immediately to the south of Highway 76.
The third item was the change of the name of “Motley Drive” to “Sight & Sound Drive.” This item has been discussed and approved on its first reading at the boards last meeting and was approved as part of the consent agenda.
Furnished Courtesy of the Branson Daily Independent,
