Springfield: Nearing completion, Grant Avenue Parkway reopens to traffic between Grand and Walnut

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Corridor improvements already serving as a catalyst for private investment

The long-awaited Grant Avenue Parkway corridor improvement project reopened to two-way traffic Tuesday, Dec. 16 between Grand and Walnut streets, marking the availability of transportation enhancements for public use. The project is expected to reach substantial completion by the end of the year.

Funded primarily by a $21 million federal Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant, the project delivers major multi-modal transportation upgrades along a 3-mile stretch of Grant Avenue from Sunshine Street to downtown Springfield. The Parkway strengthens connections between community anchors including Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium (WOW), downtown, area parks, neighborhoods, and schools, while filling a vital gap in the Ozark Greenways trail network.

"The Grant Avenue Parkway is the largest transportation improvement project Public Works has ever taken on, in budget and in scale," said Public Works Director Dan Smith. "The complete project involved an incredible amount of public engagement, the engineering of intersections and pedestrian safety elements, the complex undergrounding of utility lines, a great deal of right-of-way and easement acquisition, landscaping and the implementation of placemaking strategies. The scope and challenges have been significant."

Along the nearly 3-mile-long Parkway route, the project includes roadway, bike and pedestrian friendly facilities including new multi-use trail and sidewalk on either side of the roadway, intersection and signal improvements, pedestrian crossings and traffic-calming improvements. The project also involved the undergrounding of utility lines, the renewal of gas and water lines, fiberoptic internet connectivity, landscaping and other placemaking improvements.

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Although the project is expected to reach substantial completion by the end of December, contractors will remain on-site over the next several months to finish routine maintenance, site cleanup, and other incidental items.

"There are still a few to-do list items like grass growth, landscaping, final striping and cleanup we'll be working on into the spring, but the project is nearing completion and we're excited to have the full corridor open to the public," said Public Works Project Manager Leree Reese.

The Grant Avenue Parkway project is being completed within federal timeline requirements and coming in within the City's total project budget of $31 Million. Funding sources include the $21 Million BUILD Grant and local match made up of about $4 million in funding from City Utilities and the remaining $6 million from the ¼-cent Capital Improvement and 1/8-cent Transportation sales taxes.

The City will work with nearby residents, neighborhoods, and stakeholders in the new year to plan a dedication celebration of the Parkway in the spring.

As public infrastructure improvements advanced along the Grant Avenue Parkway, private investment has quickly begun to follow.

Since January 2022, 66 properties in the Grant Avenue Corridor Plan area have sold or changed ownership, reflecting increased interest from homeowners and developers. Eighteen of these properties are within areas that require commercial on the ground level with the potential for residential above. The rest are in primarily residential areas intended for a mixture of residential uses in the Plan.

During this same period, the City issued 22 building permits within the corridor. Ten of these permits were for new construction or exterior renovations eligible for Grant Avenue Parkway Redevelopment Plan incentives, including six single-family remodels or new homes.

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Larger-scale residential projects have also taken shape. Since 2023, three new multifamily communities—The Glade, The Knoll, and Nordic Landing—have opened along the corridor, adding more than 100 new residential market-rate units and representing over $20 million in investment. Additionally, the Boys and Girls Club Risdal Family Teen Center for Great Futures, which opened earlier this fall, contributed an estimated $12 million in new investment. Altogether, City staff estimate more than $40 million in private investment along the corridor since 2023.

"Often the first step in improving and revitalizing an area is investing in infrastructure," says Director of Workforce and Economic Vitality Amanda Ohlensehlen. "Grant Avenue Parkway has always been meant as a catalyst on a lot of fronts and we're already seeing that happening. New, diverse housing options, homeowner investment, business developments, park improvements and more. This area will continue to grow and evolve as people experience the Parkway to its full potential."

Springfield-Greene County Park Board has completed several improvements at Parkway-adjacent Hawthorn Park, with additional Master Plan improvements pending final funding. Recent upgrades include new playground equipment and basketball court improvements. The Park Board has requested nearly $1.6 million in Spring Forward SGF ½-cent sales tax funding to fulfill the remaining Master Plan for Hawthorn Park. The plan calls for design and construction of a new full-size basketball court with basketball and pickleball court striping, concrete walkways throughout the park, a playground expansion, lighting, trees, a pergola and other furniture items.

The Park Board has also requested $500,000 from the Spring Forward (CAB) tax revenue to fund five individual park Master Plans, including for Fassnight Park. A master plan serves as a long-term roadmap, typically 10-20 years, for investment, design, programming and maintenance. This proposal is currently under review by City Council.

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Media Contact: Senior Communications Coordinator Kristen Milam at 573-819-3713 or [email protected].

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