NEXT PHASE OF BRIDGE ROUTE READY TO PROCEED

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission has awarded a contract for the construction of the relocated Highway 74 that will be part of the new Mississippi River bridge route in Cape Girardeau.

On Friday, the commission awarded a contract of $9,174,523 to Bangert Brothers Construction Co. of St. Louis.

The project will run from Kingshighway to South Sprigg. It also will include the construction of intersections at Kingshighway, Minnesota Avenue, West End Boulevard. and Sprigg Street. All of the intersections will be signalized except for Minnesota.

Route 74 will consist of four, 12-foot lanes with 10-foot wide shoulders and a 16-foot median.

Construction will begin in early 1995 and should be finished by late 1996.

Future projects include finishing the construction of the new interchange at I-55, construction of the roadway between the interchange and Kingshighway, and from Sprigg Street to the new bridge, which now is being designed.