JACKSON COMMITS MONEY TO EAST MAIN EXTENSION

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Aldermen Monday night committed to spending city transportation tax funds to complete the first phase of an East Main Street extension project that eventually would connect the street with Interstate 55.

Mayor Paul Sander said the city hopes its commitment of money convinces the Missouri Department of Transportation to approve a proposed interchange at I-55. City officials say the route to I-55 is needed to upgrade police and fire access to the eastern part of the city and to improve traffic flow.

Phase one of the project would extend Main Street east from Shawnee to the end of the Keith Haynes property, a distance of approximately 2,000 feet.

Phase two of the project would extend East Main from Oak Hill Road out to the interstate and is contingent on MoDot's approval of the interchange. "We were asked by the highway commission to commit funds," Sander said. "They said if we did they would be inclined to look at this (the interchange) in a generous light."

Bidding for the first phase was set for no later than June 1, 1998.

The motion was a last-minute addition to the agenda and arose out of conversations Sander had with city staff earlier in the day. He said he hadn't realized that the city's promotion of the project had not yet been backed up by a commitment of funds.

Sander is confident that the project will succeed.

"I feel the justification of this project is as good as any in Southeast Missouri," he said.

He said he hopes the second phase could be completed within five years.

In other business, the board approved ordinances authorizing the refinancing of $1.16 million in electric system revenue bonds and $565,000 in water and sewer revenue bonds. Because of lower interest rates, refinancing the bonds is expected to save the city $63,500 over the next nine years.