'Key project' might get put on hold for reconstruction of Bloomfield Street, parts of Lexington, Notre Dame traffic signal

The hefty price tag to extend Veterans Memorial Drive has a Cape Girardeau city advisory committee looking at the possibility of doing it in stages.

With the help of city staff, the committee is drawing up a list of projects to be funded if Cape Girardeau voters extend the transportation sales tax next year.

The Veterans Memorial Drive project, which would extend the street from Hopper Road south to the Route K area, is estimated to cost at least $6.5 million and could cost even more, city staff said. The cost estimate includes everything from design work and right-of-way acquisition to construction.

Buying right of way alone could cost an estimated $675,000, according to city staff.

But former Mayor Harry Rediger, who chairs the committee, said some of the property owners may donate land.

He told committee members Monday he views it as “the key project” for the Transportation Trust Fund 6 measure. Rediger said extending the street could spark economic development.

But fellow committee members questioned whether the public would support such a project right now.

Committee member Jeff Glenn said the street would be extended through what is now farm land.

“I don’t know if it connects with them (the public),” he said.

Glenn and other committee members suggested it may be better to earmark $2 million for design and property acquisition rather than cover the entire project as part of the 2020 tax measure.

Rediger agreed such a move would allow the city to fund more, but less expensive projects.

The tax is expected to generate an estimated $25 million over five years.

The committee has proposed spending $13.5 million on street repairs. In addition, more than $2 million would be budgeted for contingencies.

City planner Ryan Shrimplin said after the meeting that would leave $9.3 million available for major transportation projects.

Committee members are looking at two different options. One option would fund:

• The entire cost of extending Veterans Memorial Drive
• Improvements to the Kingshighway/Broadview Street/Maria Louse Lane intersection
• Extension of College Street from Minnesota Avenue to West End Boulevard
• Reconstruction of Lexington Avenue from Rampart Street to Sherwood Drive.

The second option would budget:

• $2 million toward the Veterans Memorial Drive project
• Reconstruction of Bloomfield Street, from Kingshighway to South West End Boulevard
• Reconstruction of Lexington Avenue from West Cape Rock Drive to Big Bend Road.
• Traffic signal on Route K at entrance to Notre Dame Regional High School
• And all the other projects listed in the first option

Committee members said the second option would allow for reconstruction of both sections of Lexington Avenue that need to be improved.

Residents have complained over the years about the condition of the street.

“It was such a sore point for so long,” Glenn said.

Shrimplin, the city planner, said after the meeting Lexington Avenue is the main east/west road across the northern part of the city.

“It is a very popular route. It just makes sense to finish it out,” he said.

The committee will meet again next week to discuss the possible projects in advance of seeking public comment at two meetings in September.

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