The City of Branson is set to get to work on renovations to sidewalks and infrastructure downtown. Before they begin, they are seeking input from the community at a meeting Thursday.
What will be Phase IV of the City’s Historic Downtown Streetscape project will involve improvements along Main Street from Veterans Blvd. to Sycamore St.
Director of Public works and Engineering Michael Woods said Branson is working with Great River Engineering in the planning process. They are also coordinating with MoDOT on some sections. Woods said the plans are 50% complete. He said they felt this was a good point in the process to seek additional feedback from the public. They hope to begin work in early 2025 and complete most of the project before spring break, limiting the impact of construction on local businesses.
It is not the first chance for community input on the plans. The multi-phase project to renovate the streetscape in downtown Branson began in 2015. Previous phases made improvements along Pacific St. and in the Liberty Plaza area. Woods said the city and his predecessors did a great job of planning and budgeting and working with community stakeholders on the project. The master plan and objectives they developed then are still guiding this latest phase.
Planned improvements include new street lighting, landscaping, water lines, driving surfaces and new accessible sidewalks. They’ll also be updating way-finding signage and expanding on public bathroom facilities. Woods says the project is budgeted at $5 million, paid out from the City’s tourism tax.
Those interested in more information and wanting to provide feedback, and business owners looking to schedule time for one-on-one conversations with developers can attend the session Thursday, from 5 P.M. to 7 p.m. at Branson City Hall with a presentation at 5 p.m. and discussion to follow.