The City of Springfield has collected over 360 project ideas from residents for its Neighborhood Works+ program, which aims to enhance livability, safety, and neighborhood pride. The submission form for new ideas will remain open until January 31. Residents can submit their suggestions online or in print.
Neighborhood Works+ is an expanded version of the city’s original Neighborhood Works initiative. It is funded by a $5 million allocation from the Spring Forward SGF sales tax, which was recommended by the Citizens’ Advisory Board (CAB) and approved by City Council. The program brings together residents, Registered Neighborhood Associations, and city staff from Public Works, Planning and Development, and Public Information departments to identify priority projects. Potential improvements include corridor upgrades, traffic calming measures, landscaping, pedestrian safety enhancements, stormwater drainage solutions, sidewalk connections, alleyway improvements, and placemaking efforts.
After collecting ideas from the public, city staff will review submissions and organize them into project concepts. These concepts will be presented to registered neighborhood associations during workshops scheduled for February or March. A subcommittee of the Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) is working with city staff to develop scoring criteria based on readiness, feasibility, and community value. Final recommendations are expected to go before the CAB in spring or summer for further recommendation to City Council approval. Construction on selected projects is planned to begin in fall 2026.
Residents can also submit printed idea forms at the Busch Municipal Building.
For more information about the program or to submit a project idea online, visit springfieldmo.gov/nwplus.
The CAB continues its work reviewing capital investment projects funded through a portion of the voter-approved Spring Forward SGF sales tax passed in November 2024. Their goal is to guide investments that support infrastructure improvements across Springfield’s neighborhoods.
Recently approved funding recommendations included $500,000 each for creating neighborhood plans and parks master plans using fiscal year 2026 sales tax proceeds. These initiatives were proposed by Planning & Development staff along with input from Springfield-Greene County Park Board members.
Steve Childers, director of Planning & Development explained: “This ensures decisions about land use, housing, transportation, parks, and economic development reflect what the people who live there actually want and need.” He noted that Springfield currently has 24 registered neighborhoods.
Parks named in recent master plan proposals include Fassnight Park, Grant Beach Park, Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park, Sequiota Park and Silver Springs Park. Master planning processes typically involve input from neighbors as well as various user groups and stakeholders so that future upgrades match community needs.
Previously approved CAB recommendations included allocating $30 million as a state matching fund for a downtown convention center; up to $10 million for future parks projects; up to $5 million for neighborhood projects; and reserving $15 million for other uses.
A project idea submission form remains available at https://www.springfieldmo.gov/springforwardsgf as part of ongoing efforts toward transparency and public participation.
The next meeting of the Citizens’ Advisory Board is scheduled for January 22 at 10 a.m., taking place in the Denny Whayne Conference Room at Busch Municipal Building. Meetings are livestreamed on Facebook and cityview.springfieldmo.gov; recordings are also available at cityview.springfieldmo.gov.
“This ensures decisions about land use, housing, transportation, parks, and economic development reflect what the people who live there actually want and need,” said Steve Childers.
