City of Cape announces start of paving program

ASA Asphalt Co. will begin a paving program starting Wednesday, weather permitting, in the city of Cape Girardeau.

The city's public works department has identified a stretch of William Street, from Louisiana Avenue to Park Avenue, for the work, which will consist of milling the road -- removing up to four inches of old asphalt -- followed by an asphalt overlay.

To allow the work to proceed safely, traffic on William Street will be reduced to two lanes, one in each direction.

"For each of the three Transportation Trust Funds we have had three to four general categories of work," he said. The work is part of an $850,000 contract, which included the $300,000 Shawnee Sports Complex parking lot renovation.

He said the parking lot was intended to be paid for by the parks and storm water sales tax, but by bidding out all the projects at once -- before the price of oil rose -- "it saved some money and saved some time."

He said the transportation trust fund will be reimbursed for the parking lot work after the parks tax goes into effect Oct. 1.

Drivers on West End Boulevard will be detoured one block to the north and south of the intersection with William Street. The construction crew will use people holding flags to assist with traffic control.

Once the William Street milling work is complete, the operation will proceed to West End Boulevard, from Jefferson to Bloomfield streets. Milling operations will begin on Thursday along the 200 and 300 blocks of Park Street, closing those two blocks will be closed to traffic and parking.

Milling will also be done, with minimal traffic interruptions, on the 300 block of Sheridan Street; 1700 block of College and Montgomery streets; the 700 block of Louis Street; the 1600 block of North Main Street; the 200 and 300 blocks of Christine Street.

Additional streets will have milling work done on Thursday with minimal interruption to traffic. These include the 300 block of Sheridan Drive, 1700 block of College Street and Montgomery Street, 700 block of Louis Street, 1600 block of North Main Street, 200 and 300 block of Christine Street.

The asphalt overlays will be applied once the milling work is completed.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127