JACKSON, STATE STUDY NEEDS FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS

JACKSON -- A decision on whether to install traffic signals at East Jackson Boulevard and Donna Drive likely will be made in about a week, a Missouri Highway and Transportation Department official said Monday.

Meanwhile, traffic-count surveys have been made at two other intersections in Jackson that might receive signals. The highway department also plans to make a minor change in the position of one of the traffic signal heads at the intersection of East Jackson and Highway 25.

Highway and Transportation Department District 10 Engineer H.E. "Bob" Sfreddo said the Sikeston district office is now compiling data gathered from the traffic counts conducted on East Jackson during the past six weeks.

"We're in the process of compiling all of the data so that a final decision can be made," said Sfreddo. "I would anticipate we'll have our answer in about a week or so."

Sfreddo said he met last month with Jackson Mayor Carlton Meyer to discuss signals at East Jackson and Donna and to accept petitions containing names of over 2,000 people who asked that signals be installed there.

Sfreddo said if signals are installed at East Jackson and Donna he plans to meet with city officials and representatives of businesses along the commercialized portion of East Jackson Boulevard to "determine what kind of financial help the city and the business community along East Jackson can provide for the project."

In April, highway department spokesman Mike Perry explained there are several ways the traffic signal project could be funded.

If state money is used, Perry said that the East Jackson project would have to compete for funding with similar signalization projects in District 10.

Another option, he said, is for the city and local businesses along East Jackson to share in the cost of the signals. He said major funding for the traffic signals at Route K and St. Francis Drive, near West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau, was provided by May Co., which owns the mall.

Perry said in other cities in the district, Wal-Mart and other businesses have shared the cost of installing signals while some cities have used Federal Aid Urban funds to help pay for the signals.

While the East Jackson Boulevard traffic survey was going on, Sfreddo said the highway department also conducted traffic count surveys to determine if traffic signals should be installed at the intersection of Hope (Highway 61) and East Main near the post office and on Highway 34 at Route PP and Farmington Street.

The Hope and East Main intersection is now a four-way stop, but during peak periods traffic backs up a considerable distance in all directions.

The Route PP and Farmington intersection with Highway 34 is on a sloping curve. Route PP is also used by large trucks and other vehicles to enter and exit one of the town's two major industrial tracts.

"We are also going to make a change in the alignment of the signal heads in the southbound lane of Highway 61, at the junction of East Jackson and Highway 25," Sfreddo said. "We have had some concerns expressed that there are two traffic signal heads for the single southbound lane through the intersection onto Highway 25. It is confusing to motorists who are waiting for the left-turn signal to turn green onto East Jackson."

Sfreddo said one of the signal heads now mounted over the southbound lane of the intersection will be moved to a signal pole near street level.

"The work order is out on that project, and it should be done in the near future," he said.

On another matter, Sfreddo said final plans to remove mounds of dirt that block vision of motorists at the junction of Interstate 55 and Highway 61 are nearly complete.

Jackson officials have asked the highway department for permission to remove or cut back the dirt mounds to provide motorists with better visibility.

"We're working out the final design with our department engineers, the city of Jackson, the developer who owns a tract of land near the junction, and possibly Union Electric Co.," Sfreddo explained.

He said at least four large dirt mounds will be cut down at the junction. Two are along the east and west lanes of Highway 61 immediately west of I-55. A third is near where the divided lanes of Highway 61 merge into five lanes west of the interchange. A fourth is north of the westbound lane of Highway 61 immediately east of Old Orchard Drive.

"I hope to have an agreement between the city of Jackson, the developer and our department ready within the next 30 days," Sfreddo said. "As soon as the highway department has approved the plan, the city and the private developer can proceed with work to remove the mounds of dirt."

Sfreddo said the reason for the delay is to make sure all possible drainage problems are resolved. "We want to avoid having to deal with drainage problems along the highway down the road as this area begins to develop," he said.