POOR TIMING FOR CHAMBER'S MOUNT AUBURN PLAN

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce is pushing for the city to upgrade Mount Auburn Road to five lanes from William Street to Kingshighway. With rapid residential growth in the northwest end of town, Mount Auburn is the main thoroughfare connecting that area and the thriving commercial area around William and I-55.

The chamber's timing, however, could have been better.

Just 11 days ago, Cape Girardeau voters approved a five-year extension of the half-cent sales tax that provides revenue for the city's Transportation Trust Fund. In making its case in the weeks leading up to the election, city officials highlighted the major street improvements completed, started or planned during the first five years of the tax and offered a list of priority projects if the tax were extended.

Upgrading Mount Auburn to five lanes was not on that list. The chamber publicly announced the project as one of its top priorities the day after voters approved the tax extension. The chamber's case for Mount Auburn had been made to city officials prior to the election, but planning and zoning commissioners and councilmen put higher priorities on other projects.

There are some improvements in the works for Mount Auburn. Sometime this fall, work should begin to widen the road between William and Independence Street by 5 1/2 feet. The widened stretch will remain four lanes, and a stoplight will be added where Mount Auburn intersects with Independence.

The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended changing the section of Mount Auburn between Independence and Kingshighway to four lanes. However, that wouldn't require any construction, just the painting of new lanes. The City Council hasn't yet acted on the recommendation.

A strong case exists for making the road five lanes. However, the city already has made its promises to taxpayers.

As the Missouri Department of Transportation learned when it promised a specific list of highway projects in 1992 and then failed to deliver, people expect government to keep promises.

If the chamber's plans for Mount Auburn were to be adopted now, other projects would have to be shelved or postponed. Since the city campaigned on the theme of keeping its promises, changing its plans now could send the wrong message.