City officials hope to replace Roxie Road bridge

A bridge that has seen a “significant” spike in traffic since the completion of the second phase of Shelby Road will be replaced if Poplar Bluff city leaders are successful in a new round of grant applications.

Poplar Bluff City Council members voted Tuesday to select engineers for an effort to replace the Roxie Road bridge between Maud Street and Shelby Road, and for stormwater infrastructure improvements.

Both project would be funded by grant money, if the city is successful, and this is the first step in the applications, said city manager Matt Winters.

The grant money is available through the Community Development Black Grant program overseen by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Engineering services are required for the projects and the firms will provide information for the applications, Winters said.

“(The Roxie Road bridge) has a weight limit of 9 tons and has seen a significant increase in traffic,” Winters said.

Winters said he has also worked with the street department to identify areas where stormwater management improvements are needed. The city will work with engineers to prioritize those locations.

Smith & Company of Poplar Bluff was selected from three firms that applied to provide services under the bridge replacement grant.

Horner & Shifrin of Poplar Bluff was selected from four firms that applied to provide services under the stormwater grant.

Winters, Municipal Utilities General Manager Bill Bach and street department Superintendent Jerry Lawson rated each of the applying firms before a recommendation was made for each grant. Council members voted Tuesday to select the recommended firms.

In other business, the council also voted to:

• Temporarily suspend certain firearms regulations within the city limits for a specific property owner who has received special permits from the Missouri Department of Conservation to hunt deer which are destroying crops on a daily basis. The suspension is granted only to a single property, for a 90-day period, city officials said. Permits allow the property owner or the person they designate to take up to six deer from the property. The property is located in the area of the Black River Industrial Park and East Harper Street.

• Repeal portions of city ordinances which require conditional use permits to operate a drive up window at businesses, including restaurants.