I-55 project pushed up six months

Cape Girardeau County could have a new Interstate 55 interchange constructed by the winter of 2007, or six months sooner than originally expected, state highway officials said Thursday.

Missouri Department of Transportation officials said design work on the East Main Street interchange project should be completed by April. The project could be advertised for bid as early as next summer, MoDOT officials said.

MoDOT plans to hold a public hearing on the proposed design of the interchange from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Osage Community Centre in Cape Girardeau.

The hearing will be conducted in an open-house format in which the public can visit individually with MoDOT project officials.

Congress' decision to allocate $10.8 million for the project pushed up the timetable, officials said.

In addition to accelerating the interchange itself, the federal allocations will allow MoDOT and local governments to explore the feasibility of constructing outer roads from the new interchange south to Center Junction, said MoDOT project manager Andy Meyer.