Jun. 22—Several words come to mind when driving over the bridge at what was once known as Ag Expo Way east of St. Joseph.
Boondoggle. Waste. Bridge to nowhere.
This harsh assessment might apply for now, but things could change. Local officials are convinced this bridge and the U.S. Highway 36 interchange will become part of St. Joseph's growth pattern, one that points in a new direction for a city that once served as a springboard for westward growth.
This time, all trails lead to the east.
"This part of town is where industrial development is happening," Bryan Carter, the city manager, said during a meeting Wednesday that included officials from Buchanan County, the St. Joseph City Council and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.
The city and county worked out an agreement on matching funds to pair with a state grant that's expected to bring about the next stage of growth in this part of town. If the council approves, the city will use $2.6 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. The county will provide another $600,000 to go along with $2.7 million from the Governor's Cost-Share Program.
The money will be used to expand and improve Pickett Road east of Riverside so that it could eventually link up with the Highway 36 interchange at the former Ag Expo Way. The city and county renamed that portion of roadway Craig Parkway, after businessman Steven Craig.
"There's a lot going on down there," said John Josendale, mayor of St. Joseph. "That bridge is becoming a lot more important."
The city and county haggled for a few weeks over how much each government entity will contribute to the Pickett Road project. Much of the roadwork will occur outside the city limits, but the property is expected to be annexed once it begins to develop. It's possible, in a few years, the city limits will extend past Riverside Road to Craig Parkway.
"From the standpoint of economic development, it opens up a lot of acreage in that particular area,' said Brad Lau, vice president of economic development for the chamber. "I would say in the next two to five years you'll start to see progress in those area."
City officials hope the Pickett Road extension will facilitate a second phase of the Eastowne Business Park, especially when combined with a separate $2.5 million state grant to extend sewer and water infrastructure east of Riverside Road.
At Wednesday's meeting, city and Chamber of Commerce officials engaged in heady talk of a Capstone Technology Park, a business site for the hydraulic industry located on the former ag expo property. They also referred to a "Missouri premier site" that state economic-development officials believe will have great value for business attraction in east St. Joseph. That site is located south of Pickett Road but hasn't been purchased.