Jack Underwood, Staff Writer
The City of Wright’s Roelcar Road Improvement Project has taken another step toward completion. The Wright City Council approved the sale of $6.5 million in general obligation bonds at its Sept. 26 meeting.
These bonds were sold on the morning of September 26, pending final approval from the board of directors that night.
As of Oct. 8, the sale was finalized, making the bonds available for purchase by investment banks and other potential municipal bond buyers.
These bonds were approved by voters during the April 2 election, ending a long process to make these funds available to the city.
City Clerk Abby Ogborn said the city is working with contractor Cochran Engineering to complete the Roelcar Road expansion project. The final design could be ready by the end of the month.
The project to widen Roelker Road will be done in conjunction with construction of the new Wright City High School, which is scheduled to open next year.
The first phase of that project, currently being designed by Cochrane Engineering, will widen the road to two north-south lanes from just south of the railroad tracks to the south end of the high school property.
The plan also would add left-turn lanes both north and south of the high school entrance, Ogborn said.
The city hopes to put out bids for the project in November and award bids to contractors by December.
Ogborn said that as long as those deadlines are met, the project should be completed by the scheduled May 2025 completion date.
“That’s our expectation,” Ogborn said.
A second phase of the project is also planned, including further improvements to Roelcar Road, but Ogborn said Cochrane is still in the design stages of those plans.
According to the language of the bond issue when it was passed, the $6.5 million in funding would be used for road improvements in Wright City, specifically Loelker Road.
However, there is a provision that funds remaining after the completion of the Roelcar Road project can be allocated to other road improvements in the city.
Ogborn said it is unclear whether there will be any money left at this time, but if there is, a decision will be made about it once it becomes available for other projects.
