Diversion of I-55 delayed

Traffic diversion onto the ramps on the east side of Interstate 55 in the East Main Street/LaSalle Avenue project area will start later than MoDOT had originally planned.

Diversion of traffic from the interstate onto the ramps that will service northbound I-55 was set to begin as early as Monday, but construction of the ramps has gone slightly slower than originally planned. Traffic diversion is now set to begin June 27, said MoDOT project manager Andrew Meyer.

Meyer and other members of the MoDOT southeast district staff answered questions from the public about the traffic delays associated with construction of the new interchange and the new I-55 Incident Management Plan at a public meeting Thursday afternoon at the Conservation Campus Nature Center in Cape County Park North.

Once the ramps on I-55's east side are finished, crews will begin excavating a 30-foot-deep hole under the highway at the project site. East Main Street/LaSalle Avenue will run under I-55, so the traffic is being diverted while bridges on the northbound and southbound sides of I-55 are built.

Crews have been at work since Wednesday constructing median crossovers in the area to carry traffic from both sides of I-55 onto the ramps.

Meyer said construction on the southbound bridge should be complete by November. Southbound traffic will then use the bridge while northbound traffic will continue to be diverted onto the ramp until spring.

The ramps are rated for 50 mph traffic, but Meyer said he expects cars to travel slower over the detour route.

MoDOT is expecting severe traffic delays during the construction and is encouraging local traffic to use a variety of local routes to go around the construction area. About 10,000 cars travel through the area near mile marker 102 each day, Meyer said.

Roads such as U.S. 61, Route W and Highway 177 could serve as alternate routes, Meyer said.

"We want to get these local people using other routes because the truck drivers and tourists using the interstate won't really know how to get around the construction," Meyer said.

Asking people to change their daily travel routines is no small feat, Meyer said, as people commuting through the Fruitland, Jackson and Cape Girardeau areas commonly use I-55 as their primary commuter route.

"Everywhere we've gone we've had at least one person who said, 'I have to drive this route every day,'" Meyer said, referring to the public presentations MoDOT has already made.

One of the alternate routes -- U.S. 61 -- will also be used as a detour in case of accidents under the new I-55 Incident Management Plan. Under the plan, public safety agencies will coordinate with MoDOT to detour travelers around accidents and limit the traffic coming onto I-55. A series of signs will be placed along the route to direct motorists.

Those who attended Thursday's public meeting had many questions, from how improvements in the area will affect their properties or promote development in the area to queries about the Incident Management Plan.

Richard and Doreen Frenzel of Jackson have a different concern. They live on U.S. 61 in the heart of Jackson near the courthouse square, and they're concerned about the increase in traffic they'll see with more local motorists using U.S. 61 to get around construction and as part of the management plan.

The road has potholes, which the Frenzels worry will only get worse, so they talked to MoDOT personnel about the need to fix the road.

Despite the hassle of more traffic, the couple still believes the new interchange project is worthwhile and they're optimistic about the development and growth the East Main Street extension could bring to Jackson.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182