Platte City’s main roadway through town will be under construction starting next week, and the work expects to last at least 180 days.
Motorists who use Highway 92 can expect lane reductions and closures between the Platte County High School campus and the intersection with NW Prairie View and Running Horse roads. All work is weather dependent, but the first phases should start on Monday, May 16 with completion tentatively set for November 16.
The work will actually consist of two separate projects — resurfacing and leveling 92 and an extension of Kentucky Avenue that will connect the roadway with Prairie View.
The initial timeline of the work came out at the Tuesday, May 3 public works subcommittee meeting of the Platte City Board of Aldermen. This kickstarts a long-anticipated plan to help alleviate congestion centered around traffic using QuikTrip and
McDonald’s.
“When completed, this project should improve traffic flow to the entire Prairie View retail area as well as the Kentucky retail area,” Gehrt said. “As encouraging existing businesses to reinvest in the community was the ultimate economic development goal of the 92/Kentucky intersection project, it appears to be off to a good start.”
Together, the two projects come with a $1.75 million price tag and a $470,000 cost to Platte City.
The planned leveling of 92 will begin first, meaning the roadway will be down to one lane in each direction for the duration of the planned 180 days. This will stretch from near the Interstate 29 ramps on the east to the entrance of Platte County High School on the west.
Kentucky Avenue will be closed starting May 16 through May 23. Running Horse Road, from 92 to Platte Falls Road, will be closed Aug. 3 to Aug. 12.
NW Prairie View Road, from the Taco Bell entrance to the start of 92, will be closed starting Aug. 12. This will allow travelers and Platte City residents a route to QuikTrip and McDonald’s when the current shared private drive between the businesses becomes a part of Kentucky Avenue.
Finalized schedules for Platte City’s involvement in the extension of Kentucky Avenue were slated to be released Wednesday, April 11, during the city’s pre-construction meeting.
The work on 92 will raise the lowest edge of the highway 3 feet along the intersection of 92 and Kentucky Avenue, and 2 feet at the intersection of 92 and Prairie View.
MoDOT’s elevation plan is a prerequisite to the second part of the plan, which allows for a safe elevation change to extend Kentucky Avenue into the shared drive.
This will provide a second entrance/exit to two of Platte City’s busiest retail locations.
The new four-way intersection will allow an optimal route for tractor trailers to use while avoiding backup in the left-hand turn lane off of Prairie View to 92, which immediately gives way to the I-29 entrance ramp. In addition, QuikTrip has announced plans to build a newer generation store on its current property in hopes of increasing sales.
“It’ll make things a lot flatter and it will make traffic flow a lot better,” Gerht said, “because now, trucks will be able to go off interstate, turn right onto (Hwy 92), go wherever they want to go … and the trucks will be able to exit onto (the new) Kentucky and make a left on 92.
“The separation of cars and tractor trailers at those intersections will make a huge difference.”
The principals in the project first discussed the extension in October of 2013; however, the Platte City Board of Aldermen didn’t approve the plan until October of 2015 after on-again, off-again negotiations between the city, Missouri Department of Transportation and private businesses.
Estimates for the two projects started at $1.35 million.
In March of 2016, the bids came in at nearly $1.57 million, but Platte City’s board decided to move forward at the increased cost with MoDOT’s funding time sensitive and the overall desire to see the work completed. MoDOT will cover $500,000 and $50,000 for any additional overages, while QuikTrip remained committed to $350,000 with McDonald’s and the Wilson Trust donating $250,000 worth of right of way.
Originally contingency funding, Platte County will put in $170,000 while Platte City’s final contribution ends up being $460,000. Since those plans were finalized, Platte City McDonalds’ franchise owner Jim Wagy has committed $15,000 to the project.
Any costs over the current $1.75 million budget will be absorbed by the city.
QuikTrip has submitted a site plan for Platte City Planning and Zoning Commission to review at their June meeting. McDonald’s has also hinted at a new store but no official word has been given.
“This is faster than originally anticipated,” Gehrt said, “and appears to be first sign that city’s investment in the area is paying off with increased economic investment.”