Main St., Sloan Creek bridge to officially open Thursday

When John Gregory leaves his home on Big Bend Road on Thursday, he will do something that has been impossible for quite some time -- drive a straight shot to Main Street.

It may not sound all that impressive, but Gregory and others insist it is -- considering that two road projects have created dead-ends and detours for northeast Cape Girardeau residents for more than a year.

"We've really been cut off," Gregory said. "But when you look at what's happening, it's worth it. What we're going to have is much better than what we did have."

On Thursday, the relocated Main Street will officially open to traffic, following the completion of the $6 million roadwork paid for by Isle of Capri.

City officials will also host a ceremony Thursday announcing that the Sloan Creek bridge project is complete, opening up another section of Big Bend Road to drivers.

That means motorists will be able to drive north on Main Street and continue on as it bends westward and becomes Big Bend Road all the way to just south of Roberts Street. From Roberts Street north, the city is still working on its $1.9 million project that, when completed by the end of the year, will mean a wider road from Second Street to just north of East Cape Rock Drive.

Sloan Creek has been closed to traffic for more than a year, and Isle of Capri has worked on the Main Street relocation to make way for its new $125 million casino for about six months.

"Those residents, we really put them at a real disadvantage," Mayor Harry Rediger said. "We shut them out, necessarily so, but they've been really tolerant. We haven't been able to leave them a decent route for all these months. I'm appreciative of their tolerance and hope they feel it's been well worth it."

Several vehicles could be seen already traveling the new section of Main Street on Tuesday, despite a road closed sign that left room for the cars to pass through.

The Main Street relocation called for constructing 2,249 feet of roadway to bypass the new casino site. The work, by Fronabarger Concreters, began where Mill Street used to intersect with Main. The new 35-foot-wide road then winds around past Mill and Spanish streets and just south of North End Boulevard.

A left-turn lane is being put in at Mill Street and the road widens to nearly 50 feet at Spanish Street, where a traffic signal will be installed, said Kelly Green, director of the city's development services department.

The Sloan Creek bridge repaving was paid for from maintenance dollars from the city's Transportation Trust Fund. While the amount for the bridge itself wasn't broken out, the $235,500 contract with ASA Asphalt called for several city streets to be repaved, including Sloan Creek Bridge.

The big delay was caused by problems with the bridge, which was part of the Big Bend widening project. Heavy spring rains caused a 100-foot section near the Sloan Creek bridge to sink, prompting an embankment failure. The city spent an extra $50,000 to shore up the bank by hauling in crushed stone to replace the earthen embankment and areas along the bridge to guard against failures.

Isle of Capri officials said they are pleased with their Main Street project, which was spelled out in a development agreement with the city. Isle spokeswoman Jill Alexander said lane closures on the new Main Street will still happen over the next few weeks as street lighting is installed.

Residents like Gregory said they're just happy to have their road back.

"It's already made an improvement," he said. "People have complained, but I don't know why. This is progress."

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Main Street, Cape Girardeau, MO

Big Bend Road, Cape Girardeau, MO