MoDOT reps to discuss traffic options in Jackson

Officials from the Missouri Department of Transportation will attend the Jackson Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday night to discuss the next step in the project designed to improve traffic flow in the uptown area.

Plans call for the reconfiguration of U.S. 61 around the county courthouse and diagonally through the area where the Cape Girardeau County administration building stands today. The project, which is among the city's top transportation priorities, has experienced a few delays over the years. Jackson and MoDOT have been cooperating with the county as it completes its assessment of a facilities plan.

The citizen advisory committee formed to review the county's options has not formally selected a plan, but is heavily leaning toward the option that would tear down the administration building, renovate the old courthouse and build a new courthouse. With the administration building out of the way, space would be available for a new stretch of U.S. 61.

To eliminate the bottleneck that occurs at the four-way stop at the intersection of U.S. 61 and East Main Street, MoDOT has presented the city with two options: a stoplight or roundabout.

Eric Krapf, project manager for MoDOT, said the department has conducted studies to consider the traffic flow in the area and will present its findings to the board of aldermen, along with its recommendation for the intersection.

"We think, long term ... a roundabout option is likely the preferred one," he said.

The roundabout and stoplight would be feasible options for the congested intersection and both come with cost estimates of about $1.5 million, but Krapf said the roundabout would require less long-term maintenance.

If the city is on board with the plan, Krapf said the next step is right-of-way acquisition. He said ideally, right-of-way purchases would begin later this year and construction on the project would begin next year.

Krapf and MoDOT project designer Jeff Wachter will present additional details in their presentation to the board of aldermen at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Jackson City Hall, 101 Court St.

srinehart@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

101 Court St., Jackson, Mo.

1 Barton Square, Jackson, Mo.