COMMISSION BACKS INTERCHANGE

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission has authorized a letter supporting a new Interstate 55 interchange between the Fruitland and Highway 61 exits.

But in the letter, the commission made no reference to an interchange at Route E, near Oak Ridge.

Four years ago the commission supported an interchange at Route E and Oak Ridge.

Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep said Friday a letter from the state highway department suggested the county commission in 1990 had identified the Route E exit as its top priority.

But after reviewing the commission's minutes, Huckstep said the county only expressed support for that project but did not refer to it as a No. 1 priority over other projects.

"All we did is endorsed their stand on an interchange," he said of the letter about Oak Ridge. "I think the highway commission got its information wrong."

Several residents of Oak Ridge, Superintendent of Schools Roger Tatum and Tom Strickland met with the commission to express fear the commission might withdraw its support for their interchange.

"We agreed to endorse Jackson's interchange, but made no reference to the Oak Ridge project in our letter," Huckstep said.

Jackson Mayor Paul Sander recently asked the county commission to prepare a letter to support the new interchange, which would link up with a planned extension of East Main Street.

The Cape Girardeau City Council has also endorsed the plan because of its potential benefits to the city.

Highway officials have suggested it might be possible to move quickly on the Jackson interchange because traffic counts, safety concerns and other factors are more pressing than at Oak Ridge.

The interchange at Oak Ridge is on the highway department's 15-year plan and scheduled to be constructed between 2000 and 2007.

However, the 15-year plan is subject to periodic revisions, which are often determined by public support.

Tatum said he and Strickland were satisfied with the county's action.

"Now we will try to keep the project before the highway commission," he said.

An interchange at Oak Ridge would help relieve some of the congestion at Fruitland, provide quicker and greater access for emergency vehicles and provide quicker access for buses traveling to school events in Perryville.

Tatum stressed that he is not trying to keep Jackson from getting its new interchange and believes both are needed.