The extension of Diehr Road is officially on the horizon.
On Feb. 23, the O'Fallon City Council voted 7-0 to authorize an agreement with Harvest Hopewell, LLC, providing for construction of the extension. Council members Jeff Kuehn (Ward 4) and Ron Connell (Ward 5) were absent/excused, and a Ward 1 seat remains vacant.
The half-mile roadway (2,600 linear feet) will extend Diehr Road to the west of Hopewell Road. The roadway will consist of two 16-foot lanes with an island in the center, along with a five-foot sidewalk along one side and a 10-foot shared-use path on the other. Stormwater improvements will be made as part of the project. There also will be a new 8-inch water main installed.
This roadway will act as a minor collector on the county wide roadway system.
The extension will provide for future connectivity to additional developments to the west of Hopewell Road and eventually all the way to Route Z. This project also will aid in the connection of the walkable/bikeable thoroughfare in the area.
Design includes the roadway, water quality and flood control, any traffic studies needed for the project, environmental studies, clearances for future right of way, geotechnical analysis, and survey.
The agreement states that Harvest Development, LLC will design and construct extended roadways and dedicate public right-of-way to the city of O’Fallon as part of the residential development known as Harvest at Hopewell.
Harvest Development, LLC agrees to pay for all costs incurred for the design and construction of the Diehr Road Extension project and will receive reimbursement in the amount of the County Road Board contribution. There is no anticipated fiscal impact for the city.
O’Fallon Communications Director, Tony Michalka, confirmed, “The developer will be designing the project and funding a large portion of the construction. The developer has been cooperative in working with the city and county to provide the needed right of way for the Diehr Road Extension, west of Hopewell.
“The developer has also agreed to provide a significant amount of right-of-way along Hopewell Road for our separate project to reconstruct that roadway. There will be a strong pedestrian and bike component associated with both projects.”
In August 2021, the city of O’Fallon approved annexation and rezoning of 272 acres of land near the intersection of Hopewell Road and Route N, becoming the Harvest at Hopewell subdivision. The development includes 896 residential lots, containing multi-family townhouse buildings and single-family homes with two and three-car garages. Homes are being built in phases by Consort Homes, Fischer & Frichtel and McBride Homes.
In the fourth quarter 2022, the developer requested the city’s assistance to extend Diehr Road about a half-mile into the Harvest development to allow for further extension of Diehr Road by others.
The St. Charles County Road Board subsequently awarded the city 2023 fiscal year funding for a 55% reimbursement of the construction costs, up to a maximum reimbursement of $1,292,942.20 for a Diehr Road Extension Project; the council authorized that funding agreement in January.
