Blue Springs adopts $237.6 million CIP, funds $116 million and approves pavement management task order

The Blue Springs City Council on July 7 adopted the proposed fiscal‑year 2026–2030 capital improvements program (CIP) and approved a task order to Cochran Engineering to begin the pavement management program described in the plan.

City Administrator Christine Cates summarized the CIP. The total five‑year program—funded and unfunded projects—was listed at $237,600,000; staff said $116,000,000 (48.7 percent) of that total is currently funded and the remaining $121,000,000 is unfunded. Staff noted the August 2024 bond election moved many projects from the unfunded list to the funded list; bond‑funded projects and other priorities are reflected in the program.

Cates and Cochran Engineering’s pavement specialist Dave Christiansen described two new program elements: a preventative pavement maintenance program (PPMP) and a vehicle/equipment replacement plan funded primarily from the transportation sales tax. Cates said the city will use roughly $500,000 per year of transportation sales tax for vehicle/equipment replacement and about $5,000,000 per year for the PPMP, subject to annual budgeting.

Christiansen presented the PPMP approach: grouping adjoining streets for efficiency, performing visual inspections and rankings, and using larger bundled projects and winter bidding to improve unit pricing. He said the 2026 paving proposal includes nearly 86 lane miles and a proposed budget of about $15,000,000 (Christiansen described $13,000,000 for paving plus an approximately $2,000,000 addition for a separate arterial identified in the plan). The consultant said the program covers about 565 lane miles citywide and that, with the proposed schedule, about 38.2 percent of streets would be addressed through 2028 under the multi‑year plan.

Cates reviewed other CIP items: construction of Southwest Park (FY2026–27), improvements to AA Highway (approx. $9.4M), Highway 7 South sidewalk infill ($2.7M), and a long‑term unfunded project—estimated $60.3M for Snybar Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements required by the EPA. Cates said the city applied for $12,000,000 in DNR grant funding for the wastewater project that was vetoed by the governor and that the city will seek low‑interest state revolving fund financing if voters approve a future municipal election. The CIP noted $3.4M in water and sewer projects and included $4.75M for public safety items and $3.2M for parks in the next year’s funded list.

During the public hearing, resident William (Bill) Perry described a nearby neighborhood street (Primrose Lane) with severe cracking and urged that streets adjacent to active construction be included as change orders or added to the current work because mobilization costs and equipment are already on site. Christiansen acknowledged change orders are possible and said staff could evaluate adding nearby streets when contractors are mobilized; the council asked staff to follow up.

Council members pressed for long‑term performance targets. Christiansen said a sustained annual PPMP at the level proposed would aim to extend street life and that a typical mill‑and‑overlay lifecycle with regular crack‑sealing could be roughly 15–20 years; he offered to model alternate budgets if the council wanted a specific resurfacing cadence (for example, resurfacing every 10, 15 or 20 years).

The council introduced and approved first and second readings of bill 5331 to adopt the CIP; the ordinance passed unanimously on second reading and was assigned ordinance number 5433. The council also approved a resolution to adopt a task order with Cochran Engineering for the pavement management program; the resolution passed by voice vote.