The public will get two more chances to get a glimpse at how Jefferson County plans to provide access to the James Hardie Industries manufacturing plant project at a pair of upcoming public meetings.
The two meetings will focus on the second half of the county’s plans to improve access in and out of the proposed $400 million plant to be built in Crystal City on the former Festus Airport property.
As part of the negotiations to land the project, the county and Crystal City agreed to improve roads to the site. Those two entities entered into intergovernmental agreements with each other in 2023 that set up the county as the project manager.
A hearing was held Dec. 7 on the first phase of the project, known as Project Redbird. The second phase will be split into two portions, with open-house style hearings scheduled for each one.
The second phase includes a south portion and a north portion of improvement projects.
The south portion will involve improvements to Calvary Church Road, Castle Acres Road, along with a bridge over Plattin Creek to connect those two roads and create an outer road along I-55, and work near the interchange at Hwy. 61 and I-55 south of Festus.
Those improvements will be the focus of the meeting from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, at the Performing Arts Center at Jefferson High School, 7 Blue Jay Way, south of Festus.
The next evening, the north portion will be the focus of another hearing set for 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, at the Festus VFW, 900 VFW Drive, Crystal City.
That north portion will involve realigning St. Pius Drive and VFW Drive from the St. Pius Spur, which connects St. Pius Drive with Hwy. 61-67, and the bridge over Plattin Creek. A second left-turn lane will be added on Hwy. 61 at Hwy. 67.
No formal presentation will be given at the open house hearings. Those interested may attend at any time during the hearing, view engineering drawings of the projects and ask questions of county staff and representatives from the two engineering firms working on the project – Crawford, Murphy and Tilly and Horner and Shifrin, both of St. Louis.
The first phase includes improvements to Airport Road, Calvary Church Road, Castle Acres Road, River Cement Road and Hwy. 61 near I-55 interchange.
Bids are being sought on that first phase, with work starting later this spring and ending this fall.