Penzel awarded $6 million 34-72 widening contract

Business Today

JACKSON -- Penzel Construction was awarded a $6 million contract June 3 by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission to complete the first phase of the 34-72 upgrade. The total three-phase project will widen Jackson's city entrance from two lanes to four for three miles beginning at the Highway 25 intersection. The first phase will consist of the first mile. It will include replacing a bridge.

"For those who commute in the morning and evening through that area, they may want to start considering alternate routes to bypass," said Phil Penzel, president of the company. "Start experimenting with that now. It's going to be terrible."

The stretch entering Jackson is already a bottleneck, which is the reason MoDOT is widening it in the first place. But there will be times when traffic will be reduced to one lane.

Penzel Construction, a Jackson company, was the lowest bidder. The firm is located right off 72 where it will be working. Penzel said its convenient location helped with submitting the lowest bid.

Penzel said the project is slated to begin on Aug. 9, presuming that the utilities are out of the way.

The city is currently working at relocating its water, sewer and electric lines.

"It seems to be going pretty good," said Bob Wilson, MoDOT resident engineer. "They should be out of the way before our contractor moves in."

Wilson and other MoDOT officials worked closely with Penzel Construction on the Diversion Channel Bridge project.

Penzel said the plans call for some landscaping and colored concrete to spruce up the median.

About a month before the 34/72 construction begins, Penzel will begin on a separate, but related MoDOT project on Highway 25.

A left-turn lane will be added at Jackson Trail, about a half-mile south of 34, to allow better access for trucks who might have otherwise used 34/72. That project will cost $638,000.