MoDOT shifts focus in region to road repair

Business Today

JEFFERSON CITY -- State transportation funding for Southeast Missouri projects over the next five years will be primarily allocated for repairing existing roads and replacing old bridges. Less than half the funding will go to expanding the area's road system.

The state Highways and Transportation Commission recently approved the Department of Transportation's latest rolling five-year spending plan, which calls for investments of $6.2 billion on various transportation modes. The bulk of that, nearly $4.8 billion, is set aside for highway and bridge improvements.

The commission earmarked $215 million to purchase right of way and for construction costs for MoDOT's District 10, which covers 14 Southeast Missouri counties.

Of MoDOT's spending in the region, 47.5 percent -- $102.15 million -- will go to expand roads from two to four lanes and for other improvements to enhance traffic capacity.

However, all of that will be done during the first three years of the plan. The remainder will go for rehabilitating existing roads, safety enhancements and preventative maintenance.

Citing a lack of long-term funding to address all of the state's needs, MoDOT in recent years has started shifting a higher percentage of its road and bridge budget to preservation of the existing system.

During the first two years of the plan, 31 percent of funds spent on roads and bridges will go for preservation statewide. Over the last three years, preservation will account for 55 percent of spending.

One major project calls for replacing the northbound Diversion Channel bridge on Interstate 55. The $12.5 million project is to be bid by September. The new bridge will be designed to withstand a major earthquake and wide enough to handle both northbound and southbound traffic should the southbound bridge collapse.

Other bridge-related work in the plan includes completion of approaches to the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge on and near Highway 74. Contracts will be bid early next year.

The old Mississippi River bridge at Cape Girardeau is scheduled for demolition in 2004 at a cost of about $5 million.

Another major system expansion is the continuing of the four-laning of U.S. 60 from U.S. 67 to the Carter County line. The project will cost nearly $30 million and be bid in 2003.

An area project, U.S. 412 from Kennett to Hayti, will also be expanded from two to four lanes, beginning this year with construction continuing through 2004.