BRIDGE-CLOSING OPTIONS SOUGHT

Nikki Hadley knows every bump and girder along the Mississippi River bridge at Cape Girardeau. She makes the drive every day.

But if the bridge closes for repairs in July as scheduled, Hadley, who is manager of the Cape Girardeau Red Lobster, faces some tough choices for herself and her employees.

Instead, Hadley hopes to prevent the total closing of the bridge by organizing a grass-roots effort among business owners and employees who depend on the bridge.

The Missouri Department of Transportation plans to close the bridge at Cape Girardeau from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning July 26. The closure is to last about three weeks.

During the hours the bridge is closed, motorists will have to drive to Cairo, Ill., or Chester, Ill., to cross the Mississippi.

Every local business with an evening shift is potentially impacted.

"Not everyone has a nice 9-to-5 job," Hadley said.

Hadley, the other manager and three Red Lobster employees live in Southern Illinois. "There is no way to schedule around that," she said.

It's not just employees that will be impacted. She anticipates a decrease in business during the closure.

"Customers from Southern Illinois won't be able to come over for dinner," Hadley said.

A 1998 traffic study by the highway department showed an average 13,669 vehicles travel across the bridge each day.

When the closure became apparent, MoDOT contacted about 40 employers in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City. Those businesses employ about 17,000 people.

"From phone conversations with those businesses, we came to the conclusion that about 23 business have working hours from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and about 400 employees from Illinois would work those shifts from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.," said Angie Wilson, public affairs manager for MoDOT's southeast region.

In addition, about 10 businesses in East Cape Girardeau and McClure, Ill., were contacted.

"We know this wasn't exactly a scientific study, but it gives us some idea of the number."

MoDOT has mailed information to many employers in hopes of providing early notification. "I know employers are looking at ways to make shift changes," Wilson said.

A contract could be awarded July 2, but it's possible that the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission would reject the bids. In that case, the whole process would be delayed.

After a contract is awarded, a public meeting will be scheduled. Hadley wants individuals to attend the meeting and ask for another solution.

Wilson hopes people with suggestions won't wait until that meeting.

"We are still looking at alternatives," Wilson said. "We don't have any answer today, but we are interested in other options to accommodate people. We would welcome suggestions."

For example, MoDOT has looked at the possibility of a ferryboat at Cape Girardeau.

The ferry at Dorena, for example, can accommodate 15 cars at a time. "But the time a motorist waited for the next boat, they may have been able to drive around," Wilson said. "There is also a safety issue, and an adequate docking and parking area would be needed."

Hadley proposes that the highway department open the bridge once an hour to let traffic pass. Or the department could issue passes for motorists who must travel the bridge for employment.

"If they have to let ambulances through, then they have to have space for other vehicles," Hadley said.

A lane won't be open for emergency vehicles, explained Wilson. Instead, emergency vehicles would radio ahead with an estimated time of arrival to give construction crews time to move equipment out of the way.

"This would happen only during real emergencies," she said.

Anyone with suggestions can call 1-888-ASKMODOT.