Editorial

Building streets

Cape Girardeau is scaling back the new Lewis and Clark Parkway because it has earmarked federal funds that will be lost if they aren't spent. Reducing the road to two lanes brings to mind other streets that have required expensive expansion projects in recent years.

Mount Auburn Road from William Street to Kingshighway was built as a two-lane street with a turn lane. Later it was restriped as a four-lane road. Now the busy street is being widened.

Siemers Drive was constructed as a two-lane road when the surrounding commercial area was being developed. A few years ago the busy road was widened.

The new LaSalle Avenue, under construction, has been reduced to two lanes, but officials expect it will need to be widened when development takes off around the new interstate interchange.

Some might argue that building four lanes to begin with would make sense. Let's hope the city's scaled-back road won't look shortsighted a few years from now.

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