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<p style="font-weight:bold; display: inline; line-height:150%; font-size: 115%;">P.O. BOX 6015 <br />COLUMBIA, MO 65205</p></div>
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<p style="font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
<p style="font-size: 120%; margin-top: -5px; font-weight:bold;">April 24, 2020</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Barry Dalton
<br />Community Relations Specialist
<br />Public Works Department
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.874.7217
<br />Barry.Dalton@CoMo.gov</p>
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<div style="font-size: 110%; line-height:150%;"><h1 style="clear:both; margin-top: 75px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;">First phase of Nifong/Forum Corridor Improvement Project scheduled to begin May 4</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - <p style="display:inline;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc., contractor for the City of Columbia, plans to begin the first phase of</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the Nifong Boulevard/Forum Boulevard Corridor Improvement Project on May 4, weather permitting. The estimated completion date for the first phase of the project is fall 2020. The second phase of the project is scheduled to begin in 2021.</span></p>
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<p><strong>2020 Phase</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">West Nifong Boulevard (Bethel Street to near Willowcreek Lane);</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Forum Boulevard (West Green Meadows Road roundabout to Nifong Boulevard intersection)</span></li>
</ul>
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<p><strong>2021 Phase</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">West Nifong Boulevard (Bethel Street to South Providence Road)</span></li>
</ul>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The contractor tentatively plans to begin working along Nifong Boulevard at the southwest end of the project near Willowcreek Lane and to work eastward toward Bethel Street. Updates will be provided by press release or social media. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The 2020 phase of the project will improve safety and traffic flow by widening the roadway and improving the intersections along Nifong Boulevard and on Forum Boulevard south of the Green Meadows roundabout," Public Works Director David Nichols said. "The 2021 phase will focus on access management, improving safety issues near Providence Road. This area is a very busy commercial corridor, which also includes school traffic, and these improvements will be a lasting benefit as the area keeps growing." </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Construction west of Bethel Street is currently scheduled for 2020. Work east of Bethel Street is scheduled for 2021.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /><br /></span></p>
<p><strong>Closure/Access Details:</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All schools, businesses and homes will remain accessible throughout the project. Forum Boulevard and Nifong Boulevard will both remain open in both directions with revolving lane restrictions. Traffic delays are possible. Your patience is appreciated.</span></p>
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<p><strong>Public Planning:</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The estimated investment for the Nifong Boulevard/Forum Boulevard Corridor Improvement Project is $12,300,000</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The funding source is the 2015 Capital Improvement Sales Tax. Interested parties meetings for the project were held on March 7, 2015; July 27, 2017; and Oct. 26, 2017. The project was approved by City Council </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jan. 16, 2018</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, after a public hearing. More information about the project is available at </span><a href="https://www.como.gov/PublicWorks/Nifong-corridor-and-Forum/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CoMo.gov/PublicWorks/Nifong-corridor-and-Forum</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
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<p><strong>NIFONG/FORUM IMPROVEMENTS OVERVIEW (2020-2021)</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Nifong Boulevard and Forum Boulevard improvements</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will improve intersections and add two additional through lanes to Forum Boulevard and Nifong Boulevard beginning in 2020 and finishing by fall 2021. The project includes two new signalized intersections, two improved signalized intersections, pedestrian crossings, bike lanes, sidewalks and more. (Two other </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Public Works Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects and a private project will also occur along Nifong Boulevard.)</span></p>
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<p><strong>2020</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nifong Boulevard will be widened and improved between Willowcreek Lane and Bethel Street.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Forum Boulevard will be widened and improved between the Nifong Boulevard intersection and West Green Meadows Road.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The intersection of Nifong Boulevard and Forum Boulevard will be improved.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The intersection of Nifong Boulevard and Bethel Street will be improved.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a separate CIP project, a new sidewalk will be constructed on the east side of Sinclair Road between Nifong Boulevard and Southampton Drive.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a separate CIP project, roundabouts are being constructed on Nifong Boulevard at Sinclair Road and Old Mill Creek Road.</span></li>
</ul>
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<p><strong>2021</strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nifong Boulevard will be widened and improved between Bethel Street and South Providence Road.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Access management improvements will be implemented on Nifong Boulevard between Bethel Street and South Providence Road.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The intersection of Nifong Boulevard and South Providence Road will be improved on the west side.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The intersection of Nifong Boulevard and Monterey Drive will be converted to a signalized intersection.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A private developer is planning to construct two new streets-Aurora Drive and Nova Way--that will provide an additional connection between Nifong Boulevard and Peachtree Drive (Construction dates TBD). </span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A new signalized intersection will be constructed at the intersection of Nifong Boulevard and Aurora Drive (see above).</span></li>
</ul>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Complete details about City of Columbia Public Works CIP projects are available at </span><a href="http://como.gov/PublicWorks/Construction"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CoMo.gov/PublicWorks/Construction.</span></a></p></div>
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<div class="attachments">This release has the following attachments:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/downloadfile.php?id=2396">First Phase Location Diagram - Forum and Nifong</a><br /><a href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/downloadfile.php?id=2397">Nifong and Forum Corridor 2020-21 Overview Locatio</a></div>
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