Fountain Street

Cape Girardeau celebrated the completion of a $1.3 million Fountain Street extension on Wednesday. This project was made possible in part by the DREAM initiative.

Cape Girardeau was one of the first cities to be designated a DREAM city when the program started in 2006 under former governor Matt Blunt. While the program awards money for surveys and planning, the benefits of being designated a DREAM city include prioritization of grant requests.

Funding for the project included $400,000 from a Community Development Block Grant, $104,000 from a Missouri Department of Transportation Grant, $490,000 in federal funding and $300,000 from the city's Transportation Trust Fund.

City leaders see the 1,300-foot extension of Fountain Street from Morgan Oak Street to William Street as a mechanism to generate more economic activity in this part of Cape Girardeau.

While the funding ultimately made this project possible, if not for the leadership and commitment of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, Old Town Cape and city, state and federal leaders, this project would not have come to fruition.

Transportation infrastructure is a critical component to economic activity, and the new extension is another step in the right direction for Cape Girardeau.