OFFICIALS HERALD LONG-AWAITED START OF NEW MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE

The Sept. 3, 1996 planned starting date for construction of the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge was heralded by federal, state and local officials who gathered to celebrate the transportation improvement and its impact on the region.

"A lot of people are helping to make a dream come true," said Federal Highway Administrator Rodney Slater. "This bridge will connect two great states divided by a river."

Slater was one of eight speakers who addressed a crowd of more than 200 people on July 26, 1996. They gathered on a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, on a site where the new bridge will touch ground on the Missouri side.

"Bill Emerson was a major member of a group including government and private officials and citizens all working to make this dream come true," said Slater.

"This is a tremendous occasion," said Tom Boland, current chairman of the Missouri Highway Commission. "This bridge will provide a modern, safer crossing on the Mississippi River. It will allow for freer flow of commerce and economic benefits for the entire region."

Boland, and Joe Mickus, chief engineer of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department, agreed Emerson played major role in obtaining funding for the bridge.

"It's a pleasure to be here today to meet Emerson's family," said Boland. On hand for the occasion was Jo Ann Emerson, the congressman's widow, and Marie Hahn, Emerson's mother.

Other speakers during the 1 1/2-hour ceremony were Karl Bartlesmeyer of the Illinois Transportation Department's District 9, U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond and state Sen. Peter Kinder, who read a letter submitted by U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft who could not attend the ceremony. Former Highway Commissioner John Oliver of Cape Girardeau also attended.

Bond presented Mrs. Emerson with a copy of the resolution naming the bridge as a memorial to the congressman, who died of cancer.

Jo Ann Emerson said she was looking to the day when she can drive across the new bridge.

"I can think of no finer tribute to my husband, Bill Emerson, the bridge builder, than what you are doing here today in his memory," she said.

"It is only fitting that rather than having this dedication in some banquet room or hotel convention center, that it be on the banks of the Mississippi River, just downstream from the old bridge and St. Vincent Seminary."

The new bridge at Cape Girardeau has been a fight and was Emerson's top infrastructure project over the past few years, she said.

"But there are so many people that worked with Bill over the years, so we could be here today," added Mrs. Emerson.

She mentioned Paul Ebaugh, former highway commissioner who started to talking Emerson about a new bridge 10 years ago; Oliver, Ebaugh's successor; the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, Slater, Southern Illinois Reps. Jerry Costello and Glenn Poshard; and Bond and Ashcroft.

"Bill tried to build bridges every day ...bridges between Democrats and Republicans, between the rich and the poor, the left and the right, and the bridge between Illinois and Missouri," said his widow.

The new, four-lane bridge will be a state-of-the-art, cable-stayed bridge, and will be built just south of the existing two-lane bridge.

The entire project, including approaching roadways and other work, will cost about $90 million, and could be completed as early as the final quarter of the year 2000.