The City of Parkville has applied for funding through the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) for the Governors Transportation Cost Share Program for unexpected street improvement costs associated with the Six at Park development.
Earlier this month the board of aldermen discussed the application, with split opinions on how the development plan has progressed. Foutch Brothers, the developer of Six at Park, located at East Sixth Street and Highway 9 in downtown Parkville, informed the city it does not have the funds to complete transportation improvements, including turn lanes, outlined in an amended traffic study.
Alderman Marc Sportsman suggested holding off for another grant cycle, where matching funds could give the city more “bang for their buck.” Alderman Greg Plumb suggested another funding alternative, leveraging funds from the developer to complete work — that would include construction of a segment of sidewalk near the university — sooner rather than later.
“I have very little sympathy for their (Foutch’s) statement that ‘it’s just not in our budget’ — it’s not in our budget either,” said alderman Dave Rittman.
Rittman said this project was a “good example of a bridge too far,” as extra incentives offered to the developer have not helped the project to completion.
“These days have got to be over,” he said, saying projects should be more reasonable.
Mayor Nan Johnston said she believed the improvements could help spur additional development.
Alderman Tina Welch said she was surprised at the news Foutch brothers was short on funds to finish the project.
“I’m just concerned and wondering how that happened,” Welch said.
Johnston said the developer’s original budget was surpassed by turn lane requirements added by MoDOT during its review of the traffic study.
The aldermen discussed applying for two related cost-sharing grants, one of which assists with projects that will create jobs. The Six at Park office building is expected to employ 130 people. The city also hoped to roll a portion of the improvements into the Highway 9 improvement plan, which already calls for work in the area.
Aldermen discussed dealing with the current problem instead of trying to jump ahead into the highway improvement plan, as this could lead to a disjointed improved area surrounded by older unimproved roadways.
Johnston argued that the city always compromises with its projects by value engineering until they no longer resemble the project drawings.
“I’d like to see us do something, for once, that’s not value engineered,” she said.
Further complicating matters, many Northland communities — Parkville included — have vowed to opt out of certain state grant programs for the next few years to assist with funding a replacement for the aging Buck O’Neil (Broadway) Bridge.
After an hour of discussion, the board unanimously voted to pursue $800,000 in grant funding for the project.
Last month, Johnston participated in a mayor’s panel discussion hosted by the Kansas City Metro Chapter of the American Public Works Association in Overland Park, Kan. The panel focused on transportation issues from a political perspective.
Johnston shared the experiences that prepared her for the position of mayor and her motivation to become a government leader. She talked about the challenges the city faces with infrastructure improvements and on-going maintenance, current projects including the Highway 9 corridor and lack of sufficient federal and state funding.
“Insufficient transportation infrastructure funding in Missouri for over a decade will have long-term consequences,” Johnston said. “It will be very difficult to play catch-up with the amount of deferred maintenance of our bridges and highway systems. Local governments are being asked to fund an ever-increasing share of the state’s highway system, which leaves less available to provide basic services to residents.”
Johnston acknowledged that every city faces the same challenges and encouraged cooperative partnerships among cities.