Dec. 23—A residents’ committee appointed by the Joplin City Council has selected 16 street and bridge projects as its picks from 33 possibilities for the next 10-year cycle of the capital improvements sales tax.

The list will be presented Jan. 8 to the council as part of the committee’s work to promote voter renewal next year of the sales tax of three-eighths of a cent.

The City Council and city staff have already selected 12 non-discretionary projects amounting to $44.75 million that must be included in the list that goes to the voting public. The council’s prioritized projects include 11 totaling $73.4 million and the committee’s selections match seven of those. Those matches are:

—$10 million for annual street maintenance listed as Street Surface Repair. It includes pothole repair and fixes for uneven pavement such as manholes and utility access points, railroad crossing repairs, and other work to make the streets easier for driving.

—A $2.8 million revamping the 15th Street at the Murphy Boulevard and Delaware Avenue five-legged intersection to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

—Intersection improvements at $2.5 million a year for 10 years would include additions of right- or left-turn lanes, sidewalk repairs, pavement repairs, reconstruction of curb ramps, purchase of right of way, new signals and signal replacements, and other repair needs.

—ADA Citywide Sidewalk Program of $7.5 million to carry out a 2020 assessment that listed the needs for repair or replacement of city sidewalks to bring the sidewalks into compliance with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

—$4.8 million to demolish or repair the Pennsylvania Avenue bridge that was closed in 2019 after it was found to unsafe for traffic and pedestrians in a state inspection.

—Willow Branch Phase 2, to evaluate and construct rehabilitated or replacement of the culvert because of the risk of excessive downtown flooding if the original section of the culvert is beyond its useful life expectancy and is a risk for serious flooding to the downtown if it breeches. This phase would cost $12.26 million.

—Repairs amounting to $9.7 million to St. Louis Avenue from Campbell Parkway to Langston Hughes-Broadway.

During the meeting Tuesday to review the committee’s rankings, two members pushed for bike lane projects including a downtown loop. The loop would be a series of protected bike lanes on streets surrounding downtown.

Other committee members spoke about the need to enlarge streets to accommodate growing traffic and expected growth of city population.

The group elected Ben Leavens and Kyle Denham as co-chairmen of the committee.

The capital improvements sales tax was first passed in 2004 and renewed in 2014. It will expire Dec. 31, 2024, unless voters next year approve a 10-year renewal.

The council has considered an April 2 election date for the renewal question. That also is council election day.

The tax is earmarked to fund major capital projects including transportation and airport projects, and construction of trails and bridges.

This year’s list of options included a wider variety of 33 construction and repair projects to buildings and parks in addition to the traditional street and bridge work. The overall list of 33 is accumulated from city staff knowledge of the city’s needs.

The City Council typically appoints a committee of residents to help select and endorse the work proposed, and to promote passage of the renewal in the election.

The committee will discuss its Jan. 8 presentation to council during a meeting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, at City Hall, 602 S. Main St.