Jefferson City’s largest construction project to date has the green light to proceed.

In the wake of promising economic trends in recent months, SSM Health Care has confirmed St. Mary’s Health Center’s $200 million replacement project for its short-term construction projects, with design continuing next year and hospital construction beginning in 2012.

The project’s timeline had been extended earlier this year due to an unprecedented downturn in the global economy. Since then, St. Mary’s leadership has been working with SSM to determine the best time to restart the project as conditions allowed.

“Barring the type of global financial collapse we saw last year, which is highly unlikely, this is the final word, with no looking back,” says St. Mary’s President Brent VanConia. “This is some really great news for St. Mary’s and for our community.”

The $200 million project is expected to be the most expensive ever undertaken in Jefferson City. Construction of a new interchange on Highway 179 will precede hospital construction in 2012-2014.