FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Property owners located in the Fassnight Park area of Grant Avenue between Sunshine Street and Grand Street may notice signs of activity beginning Monday, Feb. 15 through Friday, March 1 as contracting crews begin conducting archaeological surveying for the upcoming Grant Avenue Parkway project.
Survey technicians from City consultant firm CMT and subcontractor, Archaeological Research Center of St. Louis, Inc. (ARC), will be conducting shovel tests within the City’s right-of-way. Shovel tests are conducted to assess the soil for evidence of cultural artifacts that may not be visible on the surface. The procedure involves digging a series of 1-2 foot-deep testing holes which will then be filled back in after the test. Workers will also be taking photos of the proposed project area.
Surveying crew vehicles will be clearly marked with the CMT logo and technicians easily identified, wearing safety vests and carrying Grant Avenue Parkway project materials.
“This is another step we are required take in order to reduce the chance that construction of the Parkway could unknowingly disrupt something historically significant in the area,” explains Public Works project manager Leree Reese. “This is important information to know so we can reduce potential risks and delays during the design/build process.”
About the Grant Avenue Parkway corridor improvement project
Funded primarily by a $21 million federal Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant, the Grant Avenue Parkway will provide major multi-modal transportation improvements along Grant Avenue in the heart of Springfield.
The 3-mile stretch of “parkway” will create an attractive corridor connecting vibrant Downtown Springfield to the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, with various neighborhoods, parks, Ozark Greenway connections and other amenities in between.
In July 2020, the City contracted a project consultant group led by engineering firm CMT to join forces with the City’s internal team in the development of the Grant Avenue Parkway federal BUILD grant-funded project.
The consultant group is made up of representatives from a variety of local and national civil engineering, architecture and planning firms, including CMT, Burns & McDonnell, CJW, HG Consult, ARC, Houseal Lavigne, OR Colan and Pratt Consulting.
The consultant group is tasked with helping the City navigate complicated federal approval processes involved with the grant, completing a corridor analysis, environmental review and risk assessment during the early development stages of the project. CMT will further aid in the development of a request for qualifications for project delivery firms, the facilitation of any right-of-way acquisitions needed for the project and will provide assistance throughout the construction phase.
To learn more about the project, visit grantavenueparkway.com.
# # #
For more information, contact Cora Scott, Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement, at 417-380-3352 or [email protected].