Traffic congestion project on Mount Auburn Road in Cape

Business Today

A $65,000 project aimed at easing traffic congestion on Mount Auburn Road should begin in the next two weeks and be completed this fall, according to Cape Girardeau city engineer Mark Lester.

MoDOT designed the road improvements at the busy Mount Auburn Road-Kingshighway intersection. The city will pay the cost of the work with motor fuel tax money.

Lester said construction could take two months with Lappe Cement Finishing Inc. of Perryville coming in as the low bidder on the project.

The project involves the addition of a straight-through northbound lane and free-flowing right-turn lane on Mount Auburn Road next to Cape LaCroix Creek. When completed, northbound traffic on Mount Auburn will be able to take advantage of two through northbound lanes and a right-turn lane onto Kingshighway. Motorists also will continue to be able to turn left onto Kingshighway.

More than 6,200 vehicles on Mount Auburn Road and Lexington Avenue travel through the Kingshighway intersection daily, according to a 2003 traffic count. The street is Mount Auburn Road south of Kingshighway and Lexington Avenue north of the intersection.

Traffic currently backs up because there is only a short right-turn lane.