Crews plan to revamp Cape street

The construction stakes are planted for Cape Girardeau's street project.

Drivers can expect, before spring, to see construction crews revamping 6,160 feet of Independence Street, from Pacific Street to North Kingshighway.

It's the last project using Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) 2 funds, according to Ken Eftink, the city's development services director. He said it's a two-part project.

First on the to-do list: New pavement, curbs and gutters, storm drainage improvements, sidewalk replacements and creating better turn lanes at intersections. After that work is done, a simpler repaving -- called an asphalt overlay -- will be applied on Independence between Sprigg and Aquamsi streets.

But the city can't begin until utilities owned and managed by Charter Communications, Ameren and AT&T Inc. are moved, work expected to take up to three months. The reconstruction of Independence Street will take between nine and 12 months, Eftink said.

Independence Street will take some time, he said, because "you're working in an area where you're trying to maintain traffic flow. We feel it's important to keep the road open as much as possible."

Intersections will be periodically closed.

Though the changes are on a much smaller scale than what drivers saw after Broadway was widened, "the big benefit is the improvements at the intersections and the overall traffic flow ... it will be much safer," he said.

The good news for drivers, Eftink said, is "there are some good detour possibilities" on William Street and Broadway.

By the time construction gets started in the spring, the city expects to have a foothold on major projects funded by the most recent trust fund vote in 2005. Eftink said the city encountered some delays in getting right-of-way clearances, as well as getting clearances from federal and state environmental offices.

Plans include building LaSalle Avenue, which will link to the new exit on Interstate 55. The city has been in negotiations with landowners for months.

"I believe there's no opposition to the route at this time," Eftink said. "I think it's just in some of the details of how that property could develop in the future and how future streets could connect to LaSalle -- where water and sewer lines would connect the future."

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127

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Planned improvements

The Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) is considered one of the most successful tax programs in Cape Girardeau. Each five-year plan requires a specific list of projects. Here's a list of TTF 3 projects current in the design phase:n Mount Auburn Road, between Independence Street and Kingshighway

• Armstrong Drive, Siemers Drive at Armstrong Drive to William Street (Route K)
• Big Bend Road and Mason Street, Mill Street to Cape Rock Drive
• Vantage Drive, Kingshighway to Vantage Drive/Scenic Drive (Ashland Court subdivision)
• LaSalle Avenue, Interstate 55 at new Interchange 102 to Route W
• Fountain Street Phase II, Morgan Oak to William streets.

Source: City of Cape Girardeau