The city of De Soto is currently taking on a construction project at the intersection of Commerce Drive and Lexington Avenue. The “Commerce Drive Rail Crossing Project” is set to finish on June 8^th of 2016. The project will involve lifting the rail lines toward Sunflower manufacturing plant a full three feet higher, to not only make the rail usable again but also to remove the dangerous elevation change at the intersection.

City engineer Mark Brungdart, City representative of the project, says that this is a necessary measure to contribute to the wellbeing of De Soto.

“This has been a project we have wanted to do for years,” Brungdart said.

The reason that the project had not been started was because as per the original contract, the U.S. Army still held ownership of the plant and rail line until 2005, when it came under new ownership.

The property owners of the Sunflower Munitions plant have decided to go forward with the project not only at the request of the city, but also so that they may better maintain and use the rail line in the future, according to city engineer Brungdart.

While the rail line renovation is a significant part of the project, the city of De Soto is also taking the opportunity to extend the sidewalk to extend over to McDonalds.

According to minutes from a city council meeting on Feb. 25, the total cost of the project is just over $400,000.

The commerce rail crossing project will provide citizens with a more comfortable roadway, and also benefit the current owners of the Sunflower Munitions plant by allowing them to possibly use the rail way in the future. Additionally, it will provide much needed sidewalks that will lead to the businesses on Commerce Drive.