BANKROLLING THE I-66 DREAM

A coalition of three government subdivisions and private businessess is poised to pay Walt Wildman $35,000 a year to push for a highway that a federal study called not feasible.

Wildman, a self-employed consultant, heads an effort to build a coast-to-coast highway that the U.S. Department of Transportation calls the Transamerica Transportation Corridor and Wildman calls Interstate 66.

The proposed highway would run from Norfolk, Va., to somewhere in California, Wildman said.

Local officials say they support his effort because it could result in better roads between Paducah, Ky., Cape Girardeau and Van Buren, Mo.

The Cape Girardeau City Council voted Monday to contribute $10,000 to Wildman's efforts provided the Cape Girardeau County Commission allocates $10,000, the Jackson City Council allocates $5,000 and private businesses contribute $25,000.

The city of Cape Girardeau contributed $5,000 to the Interstate 66 in 1994. Jackson last contributed in 1992.

Wildman appeared before the County Commission Thursday. Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones said the commission is studying Wildman's proposal and checking with Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle on its legality.

The Jackson City Council has not yet considered it, said Valerie Tuschhoff, a council member.

Wildman has already raised $14,700 this year from private donations plus a $1,000 donation from Southeast Missouri State University, according to records on file with the city of Cape Girardeau. Under an agreement the city council approved early this year, the city has administered a fund with those donations. It pays Wildman $2,916.66 a month plus expenses for lobbying for the project.

He bills the account for mileage, meals and motels when he travels to lobby. City Manager Michael Miller signs off on all expenses.

Wildman's projected budget for a year includes $10,000 for travel, $3,000 for printing, $1,500 for a telephone and $500 for miscellaneous "which is not a lot of money for a program like this," Wildman said.

He said it takes considerable effort to organize public meetings like the one he held June 30 at Shawnee Community College, and to make trips along the highway route to drum up support.

According to city records, Wildman spent 22 days on the road lobbying during the months of March, April and May, including eight days in Washington, D.C.

Wildman has been working on the project for a decade. For several years he did so as executive director of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association.

In 1991, he helped persuade Congress to fund a study of a proposed Transamerica Transportation Corridor from the Hampton Roads, Va., area to central California. The study, completed in 1994, covered a possible conventional interstate highway, a rail corridor, and three possible high-tech highways.

The executive summary of the report said, "All of the five major alternative concepts create very large travel benefits. However, when the high costs associated with this project are considered, none of the alternative concepts are found to be feasible."

Wildman said most of the cost was out west, while the eastern and Midwestern segments would cost taxpayers less than the benefits. He said Kentucky and Missouri are conducting studies that will show that, at least through those states, the project makes economic sense.

Indeed, talk to local officials and they tout the virtues of a new regional highway.

"We're very interested in a new road from Paducah to Cape Girardeau," Presiding Commissioner Jones said. "And we're interested in a new road from Cape Girardeau to Van Buren."

Jones said the area needs a good east-west transportation route. "You'd have to assume if we get this nice new Emerson bridge, it has to go somewhere," he said. "The County Commission is not interested in a road that goes from Virginia to California."

Wildman said he has contacted state officials from Virginia to Utah.