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[sanddunerider]

I was up there last week and they are tearing up the roads.  a few spots with missing outside lanes.  6 ft deep ditches where the road was.  I would guess utilities.

Thats right MH, they are relocating and burying utilities on both side of 76..

[shavethewhales]

I don't think I ever bothered to drive past the new CiCi's, but here it is on google maps street view: https://www.google.com/maps/@36.6431523,-93.2852135,3a,75y,243.6h,74.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smXI2b2uZ_K8ssWzEFFCh0A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

That is an example of proper design for the new 76 strip. It's build closer to the street with parking in back, there's bold and unique signage and visual features, and most importantly: a big ass sidewalk!

It's like night and day on either side of this thing now. You're forced to walk on a little strip right smack against the road and then suddenly you have this palatial landscaped area to walk through for 100 ft. It's a drop in the bucket, but it's actually pretty great that this process has already started. It might take 10 years to get a critical mass of new developments building like this, but when we get that it will pay off dividends.

[Citydweller84]

I was up there last week and they are tearing up the roads.  a few spots with missing outside lanes.  6 ft deep ditches where the road was.  I would guess utilities.

Yeah, its all the utilites work they're doing right now. Its mostly concentrated around the 76 & Gretna area.

[shavethewhales]

Man, I can't believe how much work has gone on along 76 in just the past couple of years. It was totally unrecognizable to me as I drove through last weekend. I virtually always avoid it due to traffic, so it had been a few years since I've driven the whole thing. So much has finally been torn down, there's so many new buildings, and there's several new construction projects underway that I don't even know anything about. There's still some garrish parts left over from the tornado, but at this point I don't think I'd want them to develop any faster. I'm sure those areas will be filled in again within the next couple of years at this rate.

Of course the problem still is that I won't drive through this area under normal conditions, even though I'd love to visit some of these places more often.

It was also just announced that they will probably have to cease work on the Spirit of 76 project for the time being due to funding. They've hardly even started...

[Joy]

It was also just announced that they will probably have to cease work on the Spirit of 76 project for the time being due to funding. They've hardly even started...

Shoot. I was wondering why the website for the project had disappeared! Thankfully, the project plan is still available to read here: https://issuu.com/bnim/docs/branson_final_140731_print_reduced

I really hope they can get the funding worked out; I've been looking forward to what they have planned!

[sanddunerider]

yes, lots of questions/concerns about who should have to pay for unfinished driveways,, and sidewalks if funded doesnt show up.

I also brought up about odd that this didnt show up until after election...  ??

[biscuitcreek]

Here's the latest update given by the mayor in regards to construction on 76 and in downtown, courtesy of Branson Tri-Lakes:

http://bransontrilakesnews.com/news_free/article_c0b1f572-4d49-11e7-aac2-dbefb6ee77f0.html

Looks like there is going to be a significant break in both projects until there is more funding available.

[shavethewhales]

Ugh. The only silver lining is that some good work has been put in already, and hopefully that will encourage them to come back to it when they can.

Unfortunately though stoppages like this can be a death knell, since it could be years before they are ready to work again and public attitude could shift by then. I'd think that the need for this kind of improvement will only be more drastic in the coming years as younger crowds flock to more walk-able, thoughtfully-built destinations like Eureka Springs, Hot Springs, or even Vegas and Orlando.

Even the newer things built in Branson are going to loose their shine pretty quickly without extra help... I mean, other than the ferris wheel and drop tower what has really been added of value on the strip recently? Another mini golf or two, a strip mall, and a CiCi's? There's a few nice things, but the random crap development is still drowning it out. It's nice to have new development in general, but it needs to be going somewhere positive.

[Junior, too!]

Some discussion on the You might be from Branson FB site about comments made by the Branson mayor. The three piece statues of veterans purchased by the city from the veterans museum a few years ago is in question. 2 segments are now placed in public spaces, but a third piece is in storage. The mayor said something about selling it off to reduce storage and associated costs. Most folks want to see it placed in a public space, too. Some comments agreed with the mayors comments.