Cape's broader way

Broadway in Cape Girardeau was closed Monday between Perry Avenue and West End Boulevard for the first of 40 consecutive days. It's the first part of a two-phase project to widen Broadway by 12 feet and add turn lanes at the intersection with Clark Avenue.

The city is recommending two detour routes for the more than 14,000 cars traveling the route every day, according to Missouri Department of Transportation figures.

For westbound motorists, the detour will lead left at West End Boulevard, right at Independence Street and right again at Caruthers Avenue.

Eastbound drivers should go left on Perry Avenue and circle around Capaha Park using Parkview Drive before meeting Broadway again on West End Boulevard.

City engineer Jay Stencel said as of Monday afternoon, the detours had caused no major disruptions in traffic flow.

"We were out there observing at 6 a.m. and really have not had any problems all day. We adjusted a couple things with the timing on lights but it's gone very smoothly," said Stencel.

Some westbound drivers have elected to go right on West End Boulevard and curl around the park to meet Perry Avenue. Stencel said drivers are welcome to take this alternate route but he cautions a left turn at the intersection of Perry Avenue and Parkview Drive tends to take time because there is no traffic signal.

The city also has flashing message boards directing drivers to the emergency room entrance of Southeast Missouri Hospital. Westbound drivers will go right on Luce Street from West End Boulevard and cut across a hospital-owned parking lot to reach the entrance. Eastbound drivers will go right on Sunset Boulevard and left on Lacey Street to reach the emergency entrance.

Stencel said he has received no complaints about these emergency detours either.

The second phase of the $1,426,668 project will widen Broadway from West End to Park Street and add two left turn lanes at Broadway's intersection with Clark Avenue. This phase will last 90 days and two-way traffic will continue throughout.