BRIDGE HIGHWAY DEDICATED, NOW OPEN

"A great day, a great event, a great project..."

That is the way speakers described the completion, ribbon-cutting and dedication of new Highway 74 from Kingshighway to Interstate 55 Friday afternoon.

"The weather's great for a ribbon-cutting," said Scott Meyer, district engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation. "And the cutting of a ribbon means the completion of a project and greater days ahead."

State and city officials, members of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee, state Department of Transportation officials, representatives of U.S. Sens. John Ashcroft and Kit Bond and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, and a number of others were on hand for the dedication ceremony at the I-55 overpass of the new highway.

The new Highway 74, called Shawnee Parkway, was officially opened about 1:30 p.m. Friday, about six weeks ahead of schedule.

The milelong, newest section of the route, which eventually will link I-55 with the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge being built across the Mississippi River, completes Route 74 from the interstate to South Sprigg Street.

Meyer attributed its early completion to a number of reasons.

"We had the same contractor for the overpass and the roadway paving," said Meyer. "We had great cooperation from the city, and the funding was there. Everybody stepped to the plate and did their jobs."

"This is a great day for the area," said Lloyd Smith, representing Emerson. "Last week we were at the Southeast Missouri District Port opening a new road there. Today, we have opened another connector to the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, which will be ready in another couple of years."

"It is a monumental occasion," said Tom Schulte, representing Bond and Ashcroft. "It's another economic boost to the area."

"This is a wonderful day for Cape Girardeau city and county and the entire area," said Mayor Albert Spradling III. "You build something and people will come. This is a great step for the area, for tourism and industry. Now we'll be looking forward to the new bridge."

Spradling said he hoped that once the bridge is in place the route won't stop in East Cape Girardeau. "We hope to see the four-lane road continue eastward," he said.

Cooperation has been a hallmark of happenings in the area, Spradling added.

The 1.7-mile Sprigg-to-Kingshighway section of Route 74 opened in February 1996, with little fanfare. Friday's dedication represented the entire distance from Sprigg to I-55.

Motorists traveling Highway 74 from Sprigg to the interstate -- a total of 2.8 miles -- will encounter only four intersections: at West End Boulevard, Kingshighway, Silver Springs Road and Mount Auburn Road. A Lorimier Street connection downtown is scheduled in connection with completion of the bridge.

The Siemers Drive intersection connection on the west side of the interstate is expected to be completed within a month or two.

Cost of Kingshighway-to-I-55 portion is $11,775,159, which included right-of-way acquisition, paving and the interchange bridge. The cost of the entire project from Sprigg to I-55 is about $29.2 million.

Shawnee Parkway was selected as the name of the route Dec. 11. It came from the Shawnee Sports Complex, which is along a portion of the new highway.