Ten years in the making, a road widening project in Joplin and Webb City got one step closer to getting underway Monday night. KRPS's Fred Fletcher-Fierro reports.
In August of 2014, Joplin voters passed a renewal of the Capital Improvement Sales Tax Program for an additional ten years. That sales tax ends next year. One of the projects included in the program was widening Zora Street from Rangeline Road to MO-249.
Phase I of the project is the construction of a new intersection at Zora Street and Duquesne Road. Just one minor problem, Zora Street goes through Joplin and Webb City, but Joplin's smaller neighbor to the north hasn't kicked in any money to help with the project. Joplin Director of Public Works Dan Johnson recently spoke at Webb City, city council meeting and provided an update Monday night to the Joplin city council.
"Two meetings ago, I did a similar presentation at Webb City. Which went well; they asked good questions; they were engaging, you could tell that they value the project, and saw the benefit for both communities."
Dan revealed that Webb City would consider helping fund the project during their traditional budgetary process this summer—Zora street improvements, including a roundabout area estimated to cost 9 million dollars. The Joplin city council voted unanimously 9 to nothing Monday to proceed with the project. For 89 KRPS News, I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro
