CITY WILL IMPROVE SECTION OF BROADWAY; OTHER ROAD PROJECTS UNDER WAY

Work on a $1.5 million project to expand a section of Broadway from two to four lanes is expected to begin next summer, according to city officials.

Under the plan, Broadway will be upgraded to four lanes from Clark Avenue to Perry Avenue, a distance of about a half-mile. Separate left turn lanes will also be added at major intersections.

"It certainly will ease the traffic load on that street," City Planner Kent Bratton said. "Obviously, four lanes can handle the traffic a lot better."

Broadway is already four lanes from Kingshighway to Clark. No improvements are planned for that section of road.

A public hearing on this and two other road projects will be held Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.

The Cape Girardeau City Council passed an ordinance on Monday declaring the necessity of the Broadway project.

The city has acquired commitments from the owners of property along the affected portion of Broadway to donate all necessary rights of way.

Mark Lester, the city engineer, said options to address storm water drainage needs still need to be considered. An engineering study on those needs has already been completed.

The city should start accepting bids for the street project in the spring, with construction starting in the summer, Lester said.

The improvements will be funded through a voter-approved transportation tax passed in 1995.

The City Council also endorsed two other road projects Monday.

One calls for widening Mount Auburn Road from Route K to Independence Street from 44 feet to 48 feet.

"This will set it up to become a good four-lane road," Lester said. "It's wide enough right now to handle four lanes of traffic, but it is narrow. What this will do is widen it up."

A traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of Mount Auburn and Independence.

The other proposal will complete the 2,100-foot gap in Silver Springs Road from just South of Independence to Route K.

Both projects are expected to ease congestion on Mount Auburn, which is a main route for residents of the numerous apartment complexes in the immediate area.

Cost estimates have not been formulated for either project, nor is their a solid time-table.

"We're not sure when bids will be let; we're not looking at that until later in the spring," Lester said. "We're still working on the designs of the projects."

One project nearing completion is the work of Perryville Road.

The road, parts of which have been closed since early this year, should be open by Dec. 21.

Lester said it appears the $1.6 million project will come in near budget.