HIGHWAY GROUP ADVISED TO DEVELOP UNIFIED PLAN

If Southeast Missouri is to get its fair share of $2.6 billion in federal highway money the state will get over the next six years, officials need to identify and unite behind priority projects, members of the Tri County Coalition were advised Thursday.

"It's a real simple deal," said John Oliver, a member of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission. "Either work together or we're not going to get anything."

Oliver urged the group - organized to promote highway projects in the area - to identify five to 10 major projects they want funded and to present a united front to get them.

"We have an opportunity to share in $2.6 billion over six years. This is your time of opportunity," Oliver said. "Without unity there is no opportunity."

He contended that Southeast Missouri has been denied its fair share of highway funding over the years because officials have not done a good job promoting projects on a regional basis.

In the past there have been groups of individualized projects offered to the highway commission, with a focus by a very small group of people, said Oliver.

About a year ago, Oliver said he sent letters to mayors, county commissioners and Chamber of Commerce officials encouraging them to start working together for better road projects.

Oliver said the new federal highway bill provides money for widening Highway 60 and upgrading Highway 412 between Tennessee and Arkansas, and funding is in place for the new Mississippi River bridge. Without a unified effort, Oliver warned the only other projects the area will get are a few small bridges and some intersections.

Scott City Mayor Shirley Young said Oliver's comments made sense because larger areas of the state like Springfield could speak with a greater voice because of its large population.

"We just don't have the population to compete with places like Springfield, so we have to work together," she said.

Thursday's meeting was attended by representatives of the cities of Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Scott City, Marble Hill, and Sikeston.

The coalition began meeting early this year to identify priority projects. Its top priority has been extending Nash Road eastward into the Southeast Missouri Regional Port. Representatives of the coalition have discussed the project with the highway commission twice.

"Part of our motivation for continuing this group is the extremely positive response from the highway commission when we went to them," said Walt Wildman, executive director of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association and an organizer of the coalition.

"With the new federal highway bill having been signed, we need to come together and agree on priorities for Southeast Missouri," he said.

Wildman said the group is considering a name change that would reflect efforts to expand beyond its present three counties.

A set of bylaws are being reviewed that would result in a name change to the Southeast Missouri Transportation Alliance. A three-member nominating committee was appointed Thursday so that officers can be elected at the next meeting in January.

Oliver told the group he hoped Nash Road could be constructed with mass-transit funds included in the new highway bill because of a provision that might allow transit funds to be used for promoting intermodal transportation.

If that direction does not work, Oliver said he would work toward securing funding for Nash Road.

In looking at priorities for the region, Oliver encouraged the coalition to look at the big picture and "focus on getting from Point A to Point B."

He stressed the importance of looking at priorities in other areas to see if projects might be connected.

"You just have to have a grander vision," said Oliver. "There is no evidence that there has ever been a grand vision for a highway system in Southeast Missouri."

Oliver said the group had about six months to identify projects and build a consensus for the region.

Wildman said he was optimistic that after the first of the year the group can have by-laws approved, officers elected, and be ready to start building that consensus.