The recent approval of a property purchase gives even more insight into the City of Platte City’s future plans for Highway 92.
During a Tuesday, April 26 meeting, the Platte City Board of Aldermen authorized the purchase of a house and garage at 316 Branch St. in the amount of $150,000. Previously, the property served as the base of operation for DNL Auto Repair, which closed down last year after the death of Dennis Samborski.
In the past, a shoe repair shop had a business front connected to the house on the corner of Highway 92 and Fourth Street, but currently, no business or residents occupy either of the structures.
The move will be in the interest of preserving future right of way, according to Platte City city administrator DJ Gehrt. The sale will close in June, but there are no plans as of yet for what officially will happen to the property.
When asked about potential demolition, Gehrt said no dates have been set but that seems the obvious future for the structure.
“The city isn’t in the business of being a landlord,” Gehrt said.
The property sits in a key location for Highway 92.
Currently, Platte City and Mid-America Regional Council remain engaged in a corridor study for the portion of the roadway running from Bethel Road on the east to Highway 273 on the west. Feedback to this point indicates citizens want the government to avoid use of imminent domain to take over property for future expansion and/or improvements.
At a recent public meeting, options of expanding Highway 92 to four lanes from Marshall Road down to Second Street were discussed, and 316 Branch Street sits right in the middle of that stretch. Roundabouts at Fourth Street and/or Second Street were also discussed.
With a property owner willing to sell to the city, the move makes sense for Platte City in an effort to acquire land that might exist in the future right of way for an expanded or altered Highway 92. When asked about retail property for sale to the north on the opposite side of the intersection, Gehrt said the city did not have any current plans to purchase there.
The Highway 92 Corridor Study will likely conclude this summer with the adoption of a final plan and a preferred alternative.
Officials have used public feedback in addition to an advisory committee to help shape the potential projects. All of the discussions center around the idea that Platte City will continue to grow and needs to find ways to provide transportation and housing choices for citizens while preserving its unique characteristics.