OAK RIDGE CONTRACT AWARDED

OAK RIDGE, Mo. -- The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission awarded a contract Friday to construct an Interstate 55 interchange near Oak Ridge.

The commission awarded the $2.38 million contract to Gaines Construction Inc. of Wentzville, Mo.

Construction is scheduled to begin in September and be completed by fall 2001.

The new interchange will be built using the existing overpass structure. Parts of Route E near the interchange also will be widened and resurfaced. There will be some reconstruction of the existing outer roads to accommodate the new interchange, highway officials said.

"By providing a direct link to Interstate 55, this project will provide much improved access for emergency vehicles and everyone else in the area," said Bill Robison, Missouri Department of Transportation project manager.

Oak Ridge School Superintendent Cheri Fuemmeler welcomes the project. "As far as the school district is concerned, this is a plus," she said.

"For us, it will alleviate safety concerns. It's going to open up the opportunity to get bids from businesses who couldn't work with us previously because we were too far out of the way and we'll save time traveling to our extracurricular activities," said Fuemmeler.