Jackson, MoDOT agree on Route D traffic light

Jackson resident Van Riehl, like many other motorists, drives on Route D nearly every day.

The traffic is always worst in the mornings when parents and buses take their children to school; when workers make their way to their jobs.

Route D is one of Jackson's major east-west routes. It passes by a school, a gas station, a car wash, a day-care center and a funeral home. Several roads, which lead into large subdivisions, feed into the highway.

For those who struggle almost daily in making left turns from Farmington onto Route D, there's good news.

The city of Jackson and the Missouri Department of Transportation recently reached an agreement to split the cost for a new traffic signal at the intersection of Farmington and Route D.

The idea for a light has long been in the works, but now the idea has a financial commitment. Last year, the city improved the intersection, knocking down a hill for sight distance and preparing the intersection for a future signal.

The light will cost $126,500, half of which will be paid by the city, the other half by MoDOT.

Jackson public works director Rodney Bollinger said MoDOT is designing the project now and will be done with the plans in October. If all goes as planned, MoDOT will advertise the bids in November, open bids in January, award the contract in February and have the project completed in May.

"It's not as bad as it was before they made the renovations," Riehl said. "But there's a lot of traffic there. It's a good idea. Sometimes I have to turn right. Sometimes I just go out the long way."

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635