I-66 NATIONAL MEETING PLANNED

Proponents of a proposed east-west coast to coast interstate highway will be holding their second national meeting on Nov. 17, this time to try to revitalize I-66 Project, Inc. and intensify the push for additional congressional funding to study the highway concept.

I-66 was first proposed by the Cape Girardeau Regional Commerce and Growth Association, and publicly outlined to representatives of cities along the route at a meeting in St. Louis in April of 1989.

At this month's meeting, scheduled to start at 10 a.m. at the Drury Inn near the St. Louis airport, plans will be made for the coming year when additional funding will be sought in Congress for a second phase of the study. In addition, a push will be made to get the route of the proposed highway more clearly defined in Congress.

Walt Wildman, associate director of I-66 Project, Inc. and executive director of the RCGA, explained that this meeting will allow for a reorganization of the grassroots group.

"There is a need here to legitimize our organization," said Wildman. "We have not been together since April of 1989, and with the congressional work ahead of us next year, we need to solidify our group a little bit.

"This meeting will really serve as our next push for I-66. We have some new folks coming on board and are hoping this will be the start of a lot of activity for 1994."

Members of the board of RCGA will serve as hosts for the meeting, which should last about five hours.

Wildman anticipates between 55 and 70 people will attend the meeting, which was called in a letter sent out by Wichita, Kan., Mayor Elma Broadfoot.

Commitments to attend the meeting already have come from Cape Girardeau, Las Vegas, Wichita, Springfield, Paducah, Bowling Green, Ky., and Covington, Va.

During the next week, Wildman noted that calls will be made to fill out the list to include representation from all states along the route. He anticipates having representatives from Norfolk, Va., to the mid-California coastal area.

One of the items of business on Nov. 17 will be to elect a 12-15-member steering committee, with an executive committee to look after day-to-day operations.

Another business item will be approval of a budget to include a quota amount for each area to try to raise.

During the morning session of the meeting, an effort will be made to bring everyone up to date on the progress of I-66. At the noon luncheon, the speaker will be Joe Guyton, from the Howard Needles Co. of Kansas City, one of the firms doing a feasibility study on I-66.

The study will be completed by the end of this year.