Springfield Standard

On Monday, Sept. 23, Springfield City Council unanimously approved a proposed list of projects and programs to be funded by the voter-approved ¼-cent Capital Improvement and 1/8-cent Transportation sales taxes over the next four years.

The ¼-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax was originally approved by Springfield voters in 1989 and renewed multiple times with a three-year sunset provision. The 1/8-cent Transportation Sales Tax was first approved in 1996 and has also been renewed several times with a four-year sunset. In 2019, both taxes were renewed by voters with a twenty-year sunset and a commitment to continue the City's "Completed as Promised" process of community engagement and accountability measures to identify and track progress on projects and programs funded within a four-year cycle.

Projects funded by these taxes have typically included street improvements, stormwater projects, signal system improvements, traffic-calming measures, turn lane safety enhancements, railroad crossing improvements, bridge repair and replacement, neighborhood programs, safety signs and markings, reforestation and landscaping efforts, walkability projects including sidewalks, bike routes, trails, bus stop improvements, economic development initiatives through shared funding, and other high-priority street, intersection transportation and capital improvement projects.

"One of the elements that have made the ¼- and 1/8-cent taxes so successful over the years is the input of the citizens to help determine both the projects and the programs chosen," explained Public Works Director Dan Smith. "We received 1,500 responses to our transportation and infrastructure survey conducted in fall of 2023. Public input is one of several factors we consider including safety, infrastructure condition, economic development flood mitigation geographic location when bringing forward a list of priorities for funding."

Fourteen projects are included in the ¼-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax Program estimated to total $63.25 million in revenue during the 2024-2028 cycle. Thirteen projects are included in the 1/8-cent Transportation Sales Tax Program estimated at $32.25 million for 2025-2029.

Approved improvement projects include:

- Fremont Avenue – Erie Street to Independence Street (Construction)

- Kansas Avenue – Maplewood Street to Walnut Lawn (Construction)

- Campbell Avenue – Westview Street to Republic Road (Construction)

- Scenic Avenue – Olive Street to Sunshine Street (Construction)

- Jefferson Avenue Footbridge Improvements (Debt Service)

- Campbell Avenue – Primrose Street to Powell Street (Design and Partial Right-of-way)

- Sunshine Street – Grant Avenue to Glenstone Avenue (Corridor Study)

- Division Street – Glenstone Avenue to U.S. Highway 65 (Design Corridor Study)

- Stormwater Permit Compliance & Flood Control Projects

- Art Museum Improvements (Debt Service)

Approved city-wide programs include:

- Public/Private shared cost economic development

- Sidewalk/Curb/Gutter Ramp Construction (including school sidewalks)

- Neighborhood Initiative Program

- Metro/Safety Signs Markings (including bike routes)

- Major street resurfacing/rehabilitation

- Traffic signal/traffic calming program

- Minor Neighborhood Improvements (Pothole Funds)

- Center City Development

- Reforestation landscaping improvements

- Intelligent Transportation System signal system improvements

- Turn lane safety improvements

- Bridge repair replacement

- Walkability program