Congressman takes a look at Cape's sinkhole problem

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith took a brief tour of the South Sprigg Street sinkhole area Friday afternoon with Missouri Department of Transportation and Cape Girardeau city officials.

Smith, R-Salem, said he's seen sinkholes throughout the 8th Congressional District. But until Friday, he had only seen the condition of Cape Girardeau's sinkholes in pictures.

Taking the tour with Smith was city manager Scott Meyer, city engineer Casey Brunke and public works director Steve Cook, along with MoDOT officials Elquin Auala and Mark Shelton.

The group ventured out onto the broken Cape LaCroix Creek bridge to survey the damage and the surrounding area. That section of the street has been closed since 2013 because of sinkhole activity.

They cautiously walked a narrow, grassy trail to access the remainder of the bridge, with many venturing glances over at the deep openings. The sinkholes have changed over the years, Brunke said, especially when river levels fluctuate.

A sinkhole on South Sprigg Street is shown Friday. City officials said the sinkhole has grown since it opened, prompting the city to close the road in 2013. (Samantha Rinehart)

"It used to be three smaller holes right here," she said, gesturing around the bridge. "Now, it's grown to one big hole."

South Sprigg Street was a popular route before its closure, and the city has been taking action on a plan to reopen the roadway. It entered into an emergency relief program agreement last summer with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, which offered the city an 80/20 grant with funds to be administered through MoDOT. The city is paying for its share through a $100,000 Delta Regional Authority Grant and funds from its stormwater sales tax.

The grant will pay for the construction of a new bridge near the existing structure, to be built based on recommendations from a contractor's geotechnical surveys. When Smith asked whether the city believes the plan will succeed, Brunke said the thorough review process left them confident -- a sentiment MoDOT officials echoed.

"[The plan] really has been well-vetted, from city staff to federal highway staff. We certainly had different folks from different angles look at it and rally around the right solution," said Shelton, the Southeast District engineer for MoDOT.

Brunke said one of the city's biggest questions is when it will receive the federal grant money, as it is waiting for "a literal act of Congress."

Exposed pipes can be seen in a large sinkhole on South Sprigg Street. (Samantha Rinehart)

U.S. lawmakers in May managed to approve a transportation funding "patch" that gives them until July 31 to come to an agreement on a long-term transportation bill. The city has been looking into low-interest transportation finance corporation loans with MoDOT to acquire funding to begin the project as they wait for the emergency relief money to come through.

City and MoDOT officials said they felt confident a solution would be found for federal highway transportation funding. Smith stressed the importance of taking firsthand knowledge about the issues in his district with him when he enters into discussions about transportation funding. He also said he believes Congress soon will get the ball rolling on the issue.

"I believe we will; it's just a matter of what is that ball going to look like that's rolling," Smith said.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

2524 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.