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 KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Brian McFarland, left, and Eric Trentmann survey Tuesday along Route W in Cape Girardeau. Widening Route W between LaSalle and Lexington avenues is one of several MoDOT projects that could be affected by stimulus money. [Click to enlarge] |
Mayor Barbara Lohr and public works director Rodney Bollinger listened quietly as Shelton explained how, out of $787 billion in stimulus funding nationally, $48 billion was set aside for transportation and Missouri expects to receive $788 million. Figures supplied with a project list show that the 14-county District 10 is in line for $77.5 million for roads, ports, airports and other transportation projects.
When discussion turned to specifics, Lohr and Bollinger noted that Cape Girardeau has two projects and Jackson priorities were unfunded.
"Why does Route W get resurfaced between Lexington Avenue and a road that hasn't been built yet when Highway 25 doesn't get on the list?" Bollinger asked during the meeting at the District 10 office.
Bollinger was referring to a $2.2 million project to resurface and improve the shoulders of Route W between Lexington Avenue and LaSalle Avenue, the Cape Girardeau street that will connect to the new Interstate 55 interchange north of Center Junction. Jackson officials want MoDOT to fund a major overhaul of the Highway 25-U.S. 61 corridor from Dutchtown to Fruitland.
The Route W project is rated the second-highest priority for Cape Girardeau County highways by the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission. The Highway 25-U.S. 61 work is ranked No. 1.
Lohr raised questions about plans to put a three-eighth-inch layer of asphalt on William Street from Kingshighway to Interstate 55. She wants MoDOT to add turn lanes and a traffic signal on Highway 25 to make it safer for parents to transport their children to and from South Elementary.
"There have been fender benders in the morning before school and in the afternoon after school," Lohr said of traffic issues at the school, where the city must post a police officer to direct traffic. "Jackson doesn't want to wait for a serious accident before we move."
William Street, she noted, has not been considered for priority ranking by the planning commission.
The Highway 25-U.S. 61 project is impractical as part of the stimulus plan because projects approved for funding must be ready for bid no later than March 2, 2010, with at least half the money committed by June 30, Shelton said. There are no ready designs, the project likely would require right-of-way purchases and the costs are unknown, he said, making it unlikely the work could be completed within the three-year limit set by the stimulus bill.
And the department doesn't feel a traffic light is the appropriate solution for traffic problems at South Elementary, Shelton said.
William Street needs the asphalt overlay because of mounting complaints about the difficulty of seeing lane lights at night, especially in the rain, Shelton said. Planning commissions rarely get involved in maintenance projects unless a road has been obviously neglected.
Along with digging into the details of why some projects made the list while others must wait, Shelton explained that the state has put more projects on its list than the funding available. He added that states that can't get their projects started fast enough could lose their funding. "We believe there are going to be states that don't spend their money," Shelton said.
388-3642
Pertinent addresses:
3675 N. Main St., Sikeston, MO
1701 S. Hope St., Jackson, MO
William Street, Cape Girardeau, MO
Route W, Cape Girardeau, MO
Highway 25, Jackson, MO
U.S. 61, Jackson MO.
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Since were on the subject of roads. What is going on with the Lasalle Avenue project? Nobody has worked on it in months, but the project was supposed to be done before the end of 2008. I heard that the engineering firm Smith & Company really flubbed up the design and the problems have free-falled from there.
WHy is Jackson whinning? they have recieved more money out of MODOT then any other community in the SEMO area. The 72 to 34 project should have not been built, a Jackson bypass would have been better but they greased the palms of officals. Stop drying Jackson
Nothing is more entertaining that a bunch of Ten Percenters fighting over a freshly minted, steaming pile of funny money.
The best thing to help Jackson traffic would be to get rid of the double 90 degree turns (triple 90's from east main, north) on 61 around the post office and courthouse. It's common for northbound traffic to backup past the IC school. A bypass would be nice.
Jackson drivers have proven they aren't smart enough to handle turn lanes. Look at the one northbound from Jackson Blvd. onto 61 at the railroad. Nice approach lane, nice turn, 100yard acceleration & merge lane - perfect right? Wrong!! Probably 95% of the vehicles using that turn will stop just past the tracks and wait until they can get into the main lane of traffic before going. They don't use the acceleration/merge lane at all which, in turn, backs traffic up onto Jackson Blvd (I'd like to know if these people get on I55 the same way).
No, Jackson doesn't need more traffic lights or turn lanes. Leave the traffic cop so the Jackson drivers don't have to actually think.
So Lohr wants pork money? Isn't she a Republican? Same old thing. If somebody else is going to get it, it's pork, but where's mine?
Good for you Mayor Lohr for fighting for the Hwy 25 much needed improvement. I often have to drive that route in the morning and occasionally in the afternoon and it is a traffic nightmare. Especially when people just flat stop in the middle of the hwy to let other cars in or out of that school parking lot. I am always afraid of being rear ended because the car in front is breaking the law by stopping in the middle of a very busy hwy not to mention that it delays me from being where I need to be because i have to wait for them to let EVERY car out of that parking lot. It is an aggravation for many in the Jackson area. I suggest everyone call Mark Shelton at the Sikeston office and voice your frustration that nothing is being done. I have already talked to Jackson city officials including the police dept and school officials and they have been been trying for some time to get the state to do something about this problem. I have been told the state response is "we don't have the money" Now you have the money, DO SOMETHING!
Mayor Lohr is asking for money for projects that need to get done for the safety of its residents. Why does Jackson have to sacrifice their own projects because Cape couldn't get their act together to complete their section of the new interchange? Probably because Knudtsen is too concerned about getting a minor league team that is bound to flop (Cape can't support a mall - how can they support a baseball team?).
On the flip side, Cape could use the money to make many of their crappy looking streets look better (Broadway, Independence, William). So many crappy roads, so little money.
havefaith,
While I share your frustration of cars stopping in front of you (i.e. my previous post) it is not illegal. A driver has the right to stop their vehicle anytime and anywhere be it a busy highway or country road. Try bumping into one of the "illegally" stopped cars and see who gets the ticket.
Building a school accessed from that highway is just another example of Jackson doing whatever they want regardless of what the studies indicate.
Hwy 61 and 25 need work done. They are carrying too much traffic for a two lane highway with no shoulder. Mayor Lohr is exactly right to question why those projects are not a priority.
There was an article in the Parade Magazine this past weekend which talked about MoDot's philosophy on trying to make Missouri have "good" roads. Well, 61 and 25 from Perryville to Dutchtown are not in "good" condition and need to be addressed.
malan, according to my sources in law enforcement, it is illegal for those cars to stop just to let other cars out of the parking lot. it would be considered "obstructing traffic" and if they are the cause of an accident, they could be held responsible. And, you might want to read my post again. I never said I was concerned about bumping into one of those cars because I am fully aware of the nighmare. However, I did say "I am always afraid of being rear ended".
I just wonder, could you be one of those that regularly obstructs traffic and that many of us get irritated with on a daily basis?
Well, why was that elementary school built on South Hwy 25 in the first place? Building schools should not be the same practice as building houses in Cape County - "build it first, then they will provide a paved road to me"...Schools and public buildings are critical to the success of a community, and Jackson should have given more thought before building the elementary school within shouting distance of a major industrial park (for Jackson) and then building a church right across the highway...Poor planning on Jackson's part, don't expect your slice of the Stimulus Pie now...In the “Obama Decade”, you’ll learn to forecast and design your public works projects at least ten years before expected start of construction.
havefaith,
Yes obstructing traffic is illegal but that isn't what you described. Stopping to avoid conflict with other traffic, either real or imagined, is what you have described and that is not illegal.
I understood your post quite well. My point was that if you were to accidentally hit the stopped car, the one letting the cross traffic go, YOU would be the one ticketed.
And no, you don't have to worry about me being the one holding you up. I'll stop for pedestrians to cross but cross vehicular traffic is just SOL.
Sounds like Cape had items already on an official wish list and Jackson did not.
Some road widening and adding bike lanes would be nice. Promote less driving, reduce congestion, reduce the ridiculous backups at the schools where every parent around apparently feels the need to pick up their kids, and promote less gas consumption.
the city of Jackson had nothing to do with building the Church across from the school. The church has nothing to do with the traffic backing up. As a matter of fact I have seen some people park at the Church when school lets out to avoid being plowed by all you moron drivers out there that think it is a speed way. I ever get rear ended and my child is injured I am going to sue the pants off whom ever hit me, because the person that stopped traffic will be long gone by the time I get up there to find them. A stop light would help solve the problem, but the school and the church neither on have the money to pay for it
MODOT looked closley into what was more important.Rt W and Lexington were it. Maybe in the future MODOT will have money to widen Hw25 that is only busy at 8 am and then again at 3:30.
Get over it Jackson, put your big girl panties on and pay attention to your driving instead of your text messages.Remember to buckle up and arrive alive.
Why is anyone arguing? I thought that most people in this part of the country were against the stimulus funds. Both communities should just refuse to use it. That is what Senator Bond and Representative Emerson would want you to do - they voted against the bill.
What gets me is that none of these projects seem even a bit worthwhile. All appear to be a gross waste of taxpayer money. I sure could use a new driveway but know it is just a luxury not a necessity. Wish our officials would take a similar attitude to decision making. Now is the time to focus on critical services and stop wasting money on non-essential projects.
Nonetheless, clearly Jackson needs to get their act together and be ready for the next spending spree. Why do the folks who build schools so often overlook the future traffic issues? Perhaps it's time to identify projects that aren't so critical if the potential for a life-threatening accident is there. Seems to me that other school in Jackson has just blown a load of money on some nice pretty new buildings. But that might be too logical here!