MoDOT, local officials looking at bridge light problems

Cape Girardeau city and civic leaders and Missouri Department of Transportation officials want a permanent solution to a reoccurring problem that's left the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge in the dark.

But at this point, it's unclear why a transformer malfunctioned a week ago today, said MoDOT's new district engineer, Mark Shelton.

"We are trying to figure that out," he said, adding that MoDOT may bring in an outside electrical expert to explore the problem.

"We are in the process of getting to the bottom of the problem so we can get the lights on and keep them on," Shelton said.

He hopes to meet next Monday with Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson and Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president John Mehner to discuss the lighting problem.

"I am hoping we will agree on a game plan on how to address the issue," said Shelton.

The MoDOT engineer said his department doesn't want to order a new transformer until it pinpoints the problem.

It could take a month to get a new transformer and have it installed, officials have said.

At this point, Mehner said he doesn't know if the latest transformer failure was due to lightning, a power surge or faulty mechanics.

'Terribly embarrassing'

Knudtson said a darkened bridge tarnishes the city's image even though MoDOT and not the city is responsible for maintaining the bridge and the lights. "At this point, I feel it is terribly embarrassing," he said. "This is unacceptable."

The decorative bridge lights went dark a week ago, the third such occurrence since they were installed in January 2004.

It marked the second transformer failure since October. A blown transformer left the bridge without decorative illumination for much of the fall.

Shelton said the loss of two transformers within the past eight months seems unusual and warrants a closer look.

"Let's make sure we are not just putting a patch on the problem," he said.

The lights also went dark on March 11, 2004, because of moisture seeping inside the light fixtures. An electrical contractor had to be called in to seal the lights.

Both the mayor and Mehner, the chamber president, suggested a backup transformer should be purchased and stored in Cape Girardeau to allow for quicker replacement should the lights go dark again.

Mehner said the goal would be to avoid the 30-day time lag it now takes for MoDOT to replace a transformer.

Knudtson said, "We need some kind of backup plan."

He said every effort must be made to make sure the lights don't go dark again.

"This isn't a finger-pointing deal," the mayor said. "We are all in this together."

The lighting project cost over half a million dollars, with 80 percent funded by a federal grant. The local share of $107,000 was paid for with private donations raised by the chamber.

The chamber also pays the light bill, which was initially estimated to cost at least $5,000 annually.

Mehner said the chamber's light bill is less when the lights are off, but that the chamber would much rather see the bridge illuminated year-round.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123