EMERSON ANNOUNCES MORE MONEY FOR BRIDGE PROJECT

The Federal Highway Administration has allocated another $1 million in funding for the Mississippi River bridge project at Cape Girardeau.

The move, announced in Washington Thursday by U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson, brings to $2 million the amount of federal funds set aside for the project. The initial $1 million announcement was made Tuesday.

"This permits the Missouri Highways and Transportation Department to let the contracts pursuing the goal of building a new bridge in Cape Girardeau," Emerson said. "Most importantly, it will allow us to make double the progress this fiscal year than what we otherwise would have made."

Emerson expects the state highways department to begin letting contracts in late June and said groundbreaking could begin before the end of the summer.

Although the allocated funds account for just a small portion of the estimated $78 million the bridge will cost, inclusion of the project in the federal budget ensures it will be funded to completion. Federal funds will cover 80 percent of costs; Missouri and Illinois will split the remainder.

The total cost of the project, including bridge approaches and other related improvements on both sides of the river, is expected to top $133 million.

As a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Emerson has made the bridge project one of his top legislative priorities.

"A new bridge is so important to Cape Girardeau and the region because, quite frankly, the old bridge is worn out -- there's no two ways about it," Emerson said. "On a scale of zero to 20 safetywise, the Federal Highway Administration rates the current Cape Girardeau bridge as a zero. ... I think that clearly shows we need a new bridge."