ACQUISITION NEARLY COMPLETE FOR BRIDGE ROUTE

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Department at Sikeston will open bids next week for the removal of asbestos in eleven houses and attached garages that are being demolished to make room for the relocated Highway 74 Mississippi River bridge route through south Cape Girardeau.

Meanwhile, an official with the highway department at Sikeston said acquisition of all parcels of land needed for the highway right-of-way should be completed by the end of the year.

The state has begun condemnation proceedings on four tracts of land in the vicinity of South Kingshighway and the bridge route intersection.

Larry Rohr, the highway design engineer for the MHTD's District at Sikeston, said the asbestos removal will involve houses in the vicinity of College, Minnesota and South West End Boulevard.

Rohr said the asbestos must be removed before the houses can be demolished.

"After the asbestos is removed, the house will either be demolished under a special contract, or we may include the demolition in the prime contract for the construction of the right-of-way," he said. "Either way, it will probably be sometime this fall before they are torn down."

Rohr said the state has acquired 70 of the 80 parcels of land along the right-of-way from South Sprigg to I-55.

"We now own all of the parcels of land between South Sprigg and the river, and the eleven tracts of land for the I-55 interchange," he said.

Rohr said the majority of land yet to be acquired is between South Kingshighway and Silver Springs Road. He said the state is negotiating with property owners in that area and the owner of the Pioneer Orchard Mobile Home Court on South Silver Springs Road.

"We will be acquiring some property at the north end of the mobile home court," he said. "There will also have to be some reconfiguration of the entrance and drive into the mobile home park because of the construction of the intersection of the highway with Silver Springs Road, which will change the grade of the road there."

LeRoy Nunn, who is handling the acquisition of land for the new highway, said Thursday the state now owns 124 of the 134 parcels needed for the right-of-way.

Nunn said of the 124 tracts acquired so far, only 16 involved acquisition by eminent domain, and of that number, only two parcels involved a jury trial to determine the amount of money paid to the property owner.

Nunn said the state has filed condemnation petitions in Cape Girardeau County circuit court for four tracts of land in the South Kingshighway area. A hearing on the petition is scheduled next week.

Nunn said the petition was filed after the state and the property owners were unable to agree on a purchase price for the tracts.

"If our petition is approved, the judge will appoint three commissioners, or arbitrators, who will establish a fair market value on the property in question," Nunn said. "The commissioners can be any landowner in Cape Girardeau county.

"But the judge usually appoints real estate appraisers and real estate professionals who have no interest in the proceedings."

Nunn said the commissioners will meet and determine a fair market value of the land, then file a report with the circuit judge.

Property owners and the state have 10 days after the report is received to appeal the commissioners' decision. If the appeal is granted, the issue will be heard by a jury, who will set the purchase price of the property. Throughout the entire process, the issue can be settled right up to the time it goes to a jury, Nunn added.

"The (Highway 74 relocation) acquisition of right-of-way has been a major project for us," he said. "But so far, we have had to acquire only 16 parcels of land by eminent domain, and of that number, only two involved a jury settlement.

"That's about normal for a project of this magnitude. In fact, most of the property owners we have worked with have been exceptionally cooperative. Everyone realizes the benefit of this project to the city."

The state began appraising land for purchase in mid-1991. Nunn said, "We'll start winding down this summer and close up shop in about six months. By the end of the year, we should own the entire right-of-way for the new highway."