Branson Community celebrates Part 1 of W. 76 Country Blvd Improvements

The first celebration of improvements along the Branson Strip takes place on Wednesday.

The complete release on the celebration is below from the City of Branson:

The City of Branson celebrated the first of many significant milestones in the overall revitalization of W. 76 Country Blvd and announced what’s next for the city’s entertainment district at the 76 Re-Creation Celebration on Wednesday morning July 13, 2022, in front of the Presley’s Country Jubilee.

The first phase of revitalizing W. 76 Country Blvd started with the section from the Branson Ferris Wheel to the Presleys’ Country Jubilee Theater. This section is also referred to as segment three. Total costs including engineering master plan, design and construction for this project was $22 million that came from a partnership between the City of Branson’s infrastructure tourism tax and the 76 Entertainment Community District (76ECID). Those improvements include:

A safer, well-lit corridor with 31 new street lights and 36 pedestrian lights
Better walkability with 40,000 sq. feet of new sidewalks
Three new pedestrian crosswalks
Convenient benches
Professional landscaping
Irrigation
New water lines
No overhead utility lines!

“Tax dollars well spent. Just take a drive and you will notice a huge difference. This is the kind of progress we need to keep drawing visitors and to keep them safe,” said Branson Ward 1 Alderman, Clay Cooper. The Mayor and Board of Aldermen appreciate City Hall and the 76ECID for continuing this work in a financially responsible and transparent way.”

Also in attendance were representatives from the City of Branson, the City of Branson’s Public Works and Engineering team, contractors, members of the 76ECID, members of the current Board of Aldermen and past Mayor’s and Aldermen who have all worked together to make this project a reality.

“Our community told us loud and clear improving W. 76 Country Blvd. was a priority in the Community 2030 Plan. We listened and are proud to complete this first milestone, with much more to come,” said City of Branson Public Works and Engineering Director, Keith Francis. “A huge ‘thank you’ to everyone who was involved in this successful project.”

Plans to revitalize the rest of W. 76 Country Blvd are already in the works. In a first reading, at their regular meeting on July 12, 2022, the Branson Board of Aldermen passed a design contract for the section of W. 76 Country Blvd that runs from Shepherd of the Hills Expressway to the Ferris Wheel. This section is also referred to as segments one and two.