Blue Springs residents to vote on $40 million bond

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Monday marks eight days until Election Day. It was also the night residents in Blue Springs could talk with city leaders about a bond they’ll be voting on next week.

“It seemed like they have taken a lot of time to think out what would be good projects and effective use of money,” said Blue Springs resident Jacob Wilson.

It’s a general obligation bond of $40 million which will help fund eight different projects. All of which include improving streets and infrastructure.

“When you live this size and this area you get traffic back ups and signals you just have to wait and if you add a turn lane it could reduce your headache throughout the day,” Wilson said.

To pick out the troubled spots, the city hired a consultant to conduct an assessment, inspecting the streets in the city. The result, 4.4% or 11.5 miles were rated as “failed” and 34.6% or 90.3 miles were rated “poor.”

“The great thing about this bond issue it will address a majority of the failed streets and some segments of the poor streets,” said Blue Springs Mayor Chris Lievsay.

The city said the bond will not increase taxes.

“For decades now this is the same debt service levy, it’s not going to change. The tax rate is not going to change we’re just simply extending that rate into future to help fund some of these projects,” Lievsay said.

ACCORDING TO THE BALLOT QUESTION, SOME OF THE PROJECTS INCLUDE:
(a) implementing the City’s Neighborhood Street Preservation Program,
(b) improvements to Mock from 7 Highway to NE Sunnyside School Road,
(c) improvements to Adams Dairy Parkway at Duncan Road,
(d) implementing the Downtown Master Plan Capital Improvements,
(e) widening and improving Walnut Street from Woods Chapel Road to 15th Street,
(f) making Adams Dairy Parkway street light improvements,
(g) constructing SW 12th Street from SW Southcrest Drive to Wyatt Road, and
(h) improving the intersection of Woods Chapel Road and US 40 Highway?

The neighborhood roads project could start as soon as next spring.

The bond is issued over 20 years so it may be some time before it gets to the other projects.

If it doesn’t pass, the city will have to look at other options to improve these areas.

Election Day is next Tuesday, Aug. 6 .

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