Cape council approves acquiring temporary construction easements for sidewalk project

The Cape Girardeau City Council approved authorizing the acquisition of temporary construction easements for the Cape Rock Drive Sidewalk Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant projects at its meeting Tuesday, Feb. 18, over Zoom.

The TAP grants fund new sidewalk installation along Cape Rock Drive from Kingshighway to Perryville Road. According to the agenda report, there are two phases for the project — Phase 1 is from Kingshighway to Brookwood Drive and Phase 2 is from Brookwood Drive to Perryville Road.

Assistant city manager Trevor Pulley said the ordinance would authorize city employees to speak with property owners regarding the temporary construction easements. Ward 1 Councilman Dan Presson said topography pertaining to the sidewalk seems pretty hard to work on, but he is relying on city engineers and staff to figure it out.

Mayor Stacy Kinder said the sidewalk project has been talked about going back 10 years and the city applied for the grant in 2018.

“I want to assure everybody, in that process ... there was a lot of public outreach and communication, a lot of information submitted by citizens that was highly favorable of this project,” Kinder said.

Ward 5 Councilman Ryan Essex said the cost of this project is not in the millions.

“Phase 1 has a 64/36 federal/local cost match with a federal not-to-exceed amount of $422,400 and Phase 2 has a 80/20 federal/local match with a federal not-to-exceed amount of $264,000,” the agenda report states. “The local cost match will be paid for with TTF 6 sidewalk funds.”

Unlike the last council meeting, there were not any residents who spoke on the issue to the council, which unanimously approved the ordinance at the meeting.