Jackson alderman disappointed at highway protest

JACKSON, Mo. -- Opponents of a Missouri Department of Transportation plan to widen Highway 34/72 through Jackson to four lanes filled all 75 seats in the Jackson Board of Aldermen chambers Monday night and brought along petitions they said contained the signatures of 1,141 people who don't like the MoDOT project.

Alderman Joe Bob Baker, who organized the protest, said about 10 people were prepared to speak against the highway plan, some using written remarks, but only three did so. He said the presence of MoDOT officials, TV cameras and a preparatory statement by Mayor Paul Sander "scared them off. ..."

Opponents want MoDOT to widen the existing two lanes to five. They are concerned about the effect the limited ability to make left-hand turns due to a median will have on property values and on future growth in that part of the city.

The city, which sent a letter to MoDOT director Henry Hungerbeeler stating its preference for a five-lane road instead of the four-lane proposal, received a response from Hungerbeeler Monday in which he said the four-lane road is the only option available.

MoDOT was represented by district engineer Scott Meyer and project manager Eric Krapf, who showed a video touting the benefits of the "managed access" approach to highway building. The video, which documented the effects of a four-lane limited access highway in Iowa, stated that accidents decreased by 40 percent despite an increase in vehicles. It said that 97.6 percent of motorists and 89.2 percent of business owners and managers surveyed has favorable opinions about the road.

Krapf said the agency has conducted 30 meetings with people in Jackson to discuss the project. Commenting to the board later, Jackson resident Bob Adams said none of those meetings were ever give-and-take discussions about the project.

"They were there to tell us what they were going to do and leave."

Baker invited MoDOT to be present at the meeting, but when an agency official called Friday asking to be able to make a presentation, he was concerned that MoDOT not be allowed to take over the meeting.

That's what happened, Baker said at the conclusion of Monday night's meeting.

"I felt they had more time than we did."

He also spoke privately with Sander after the meeting because he thought the mayor's remarks, in which he reminded the audience that the city has no control over MoDOT and asked that speakers not make repetitious remarks, pre-empted opponents from speaking.

"I told him I was upset about that," Baker said afterward.

Noting the number of people who signed the petition, John Lichtenegger implored Meyer to take the petition with the signatures to the next Missouri Transportation Commission meeting.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182