CHAMBER BOARD ENDORSES COMMITTEE'S BRIDGE LIGHTING PROJECT

A Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce beautification committee's proposal for lighting the new Mississippi River bridge is a "doable" project, say members of the committee.

"We've been discussing this project since the announcement that a new bridge would be constructed here," said John Layton of the committee. "We've talked with highway department personnel, and we recently obtained an endorsement of the chamber board.

With passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), Layton and Nelson Ringer believe the project has moved from the "pipe-dream stage" to "doable."

"The ISTEA bill has a provision to provide enhancement funds for roads and bridges," said Layton. "The funds are provided on four-to-one matching grants. Our project may fit under these guidelines."

The cost of the lighting project is expected to range from $300,000 to $500,000, said Ringer.

"We've looked into two bridge-lighting projects Memphis, Tenn., and Jacksonville, Fla.," said Ringer. "The cost of both projects was around a half-million each."

Ringer and Layton said state highway departments did not include lighting costs for the bridge.

"These have to be paid for by private funds unless the ISTEA can help us." said Layton. "Either way we're going to have to look into some fund-raising."

"Memphis city officials introduced a fund drive that raised their lighting funds in a few months," said Ringer. "They sold individual lights on the bridge.

"Memphis officials feel that their bridge has become a focal point for tourism," said Ringer. The Cape beautification committee officials are looking at this project with enthusiasm, and feel it would also be a tremendous enhancement to the area.

Ringer said the project would have to be cleared with the Corps of Engineers and the Federal Aviation Agency, but he anticipated no problems with those requests.

"The chamber board endorsed our project during the April board meeting," said Layton. "And the highway people we've talked to appear favorable."

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Department indicated the lighting designs could be included in the bridge design.

"This is a pretty ambitious project for the beautification committee to take on," said Ringer. "It has been a pipe dream of several committee members, and now we're getting favorable and exciting response for the projects."