The City of Cape Girardeau will launch a $1.6 million Spanish Street improvement project March 29, weather permitting, according to the city's transformation manager, Anna Kangas.

The 15-week downtown project is divided into nine work zones, starting at Independence Street and moving north to Broadway, with an estimated finish date of July 9.

Shortly after completion, two weeks of asphalt milling and overlay are planned.

The project is fully funded by the Riverfront Development Fund, which consists of money received from the casino on North Main Street through a long-term arrangement with the city

The city has benefited from gambling revenue since December 2012, when the municipality began receiving monthly checks from Isle Casino, now Century Casino.

"The money we receive is based on the number of people who patronize the casino, who go through the turnstiles," said Mayor Bob Fox, who said the Spanish Street initiative is part of a multiyear downtown strategic plan.

Kangas said the project will include new sidewalks, curbs and gutters.

"Some sidewalks have broken up concrete and it's buckling in spots," Kangas said, adding the sidewalks will be ADA (Americans with Disability Act) compliant.

New street crossings at Themis and Spanish streets and also at Independence and Spanish streets are also planned.

"The crossings will be stamped concrete," Kangas said, "(and) will be red and look like brick."

An additional improvement is to switch from high pressure sodium streetlights on Spanish to LED (light emitting diode) to match an upgrade made previously on Main Street.

"LED will lower our operating costs," Kangas said.

Main Street serves as a model, in some respects, for what the city plans to do one thoroughfare over.

"(The city) won an award last year for being one of the most beautiful Christmas cities along the river," said Fox, referring to River Travel Magazine's recognition of Cape Girardeau in 2020 as the nation's "best holiday river town" with a population between 30,000-60,000.

"Imagine what it'll be like to have both (Spanish and Main) decorated for Christmas," said Fox, who suggested a beautiful city can be a powerful economic driver for downtown businesses.

There will be inconveniences necessitated by the project.

There will be no on-street parking from sunrise until 3:30 p.m. in the designated work zone, and the city plans to close half a street at a time.

"We will need to close the Spanish and Independence intersection from April 19 to April 30, assuming the weather cooperates, with traffic being detoured," said Kangas.

She added that 90 parking spaces will be striped plus two more that are available after 5 p.m. on Independence between Main and Spanish.

The city said it will ensure access, albeit limited, to establishments affected by the work.

"Once the project is done, people will see a whole new streetscape along Spanish," Kangas said.

Penzel Construction is the general contractor on the project with Fronabarger Concrete, ASA Asphalt, MSI Electric and Mueller Brothers Irrigation as subcontractors.

Planned work on the stairs leading from Spanish Street up to the Common Pleas Courthouse are part of the new city hall project.

"The Spanish Street improvements will actually be done before the new city hall is finished by Oct. 1," Fox said.

Kangas added the plan is to release weekly updates on the city's Facebook page for the duration of the Spanish Street project.