Sedalia’s city council took the next step in redesigning a critical intersection in the southern part of the city, approving an engineering services agreement at their most recent meeting.

The council voted June 16 to authorize the $665,292.71 agreement with Wilson and Company to oversee the redesign of the intersection between U.S. Route 65 (S. Limit), W. 32nd St., and Route B. The firm will conduct a series of traffic and field surveys as well as design and inspection services, in coordination with the Missouri Department of Transportation. Mayor Andrew Dawson says improvements to the intersection are needed.

Dawson says traffic through the intersection will likely increase with new development in that part of the city.

A new development near the intersection was officially annexed into the city earlier this month. The city council voted to support the annexation request made by Autumn Creek Development, which will include commercial and residential lots on the 10-acre site that previously housed a salebarn. A public hearing concerning the annexation took place at the beginning of the May 19 city council meeting, with no objections submitted.

One rezoning request was defeated by council members. Owners of a residential lot near W. 27th St. and S. Grand Ave. sought to rezone their property from single-family to apartment housing. The council agreed with the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation and unanimously rejected the proposal.