On March 13, the City of Springfield will begin its final stage in making Republic Road wider.
Dubbed Phases 4 and 5 of the Republic Road Widening, it expands the roadway to five lanes starting from the traffic signal at Fairview Avenue to the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Republic Road.
Improvements to the roadway include sidewalks that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, bike lanes and traffic signal upgrades. Stormwater and utility infrastructure will also see improvements as the construction on the project extends north on Campbell.
During construction, motorists are advised to use caution and expect traffic delays. Lane closures are limited to overnight hours. At least one lane of traffic will stay open during overnight construction.
In a press release issued by the City, Public Works Project Manager Andy Haase assures motorists that traffic will keep flowing. “We may have an occasional short-term lane closure, but any closures lasting more than a few hours we plan to conduct at night so we can keep traffic moving,” Haase said in the release.
The project's origins date back to 2016 when voters approved the ⅛-cent Transportation Sales Tax. This allowed the Republic Road Widening Phases 4 and 5 project to secure the funding. Additional support is also provided by the Surface Transportation Block Grant, as well as cost share with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).
In the Spring of 2022, Springfield Public Works and MoDOT worked in tandem to bid on the Republic Road improvement project alongside interchange improvements on Campbell Avenue and James River Freeway. Contractor Capital Paving and Construction was awarded both projects and is completing both construction projects concurently, according to the release.
Coordination between each project will help reduce overall costs, increase safety for motorists and lead to an improved traffic flow between Campbell Avenue, Republic Road, James River Freeway. The anticipated date of project completion is December of 2023.
