Companies win bids for road projects

Two construction companies have won bids for new road projects in the Cape Girardeau area.

Workers could begin construction on a new turn lane on Route K in Cape Girardeau and new lighting at the Interstate 55/Highway 61 interchange as early as next month.

The new Route K turn lane will be located west of Interstate 55 near Notre Dame Regional High School. The project is scheduled to begin in July and should be finished before school starts.

Tonya Wells, senior outreach specialist with the Missouri Department of Transportation, said the project is something that the city asked MoDOT to consider.

"With the added traffic at Notre Dame, it's a safety measure," Wells said.

The $146,207 cost of the project will be shared between MoDOT and the city of Cape Girardeau. Penzel Construction Co. of Jackson was awarded the contract to build the lane.

Speed limits will be reduced while construction is in progress, and drivers may expect one-lane traffic as part of the project.

The highway project to install new lighting at the I-55/Highway 61 interchange, or Center Junction, could begin next month at the earliest, Wells said, but there is not a set schedule, other than it has to be completed before December.

As part of the project, workers will install high-mast lighting, which will illuminate the roadway more uniformly and cover a larger area. Regular lighting also will be installed at the ramps where they meet the interstate.

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has awarded the $201,784 project to K&K Electric Co. of Cape Girardeau. The cost will be split between the Missouri Department of Transportation and the city of Jackson.