Officials speak at Route AB extension kickoff Thursday

A groundbreaking ceremony Thursday marked the official kickoff of the Route AB extension in Cape Girardeau County. The three-phase project has already begun and is estimated to cost $6 million. Once complete, Highway 25 will be directly connected to Interstate 55.

Andy Meyer, project manager for the Missouri Department of Transportation, said the idea for the project was approved several years ago, but it has taken a long time for Cape Girardeau County to acquire the right of way on land needed for the extension and for both the county and MoDOT to find funding. He said the project is being financed by the county, MoDOT and federal dollars.

Construction began in May on the first part of the project, a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 25 and Highway 77 in Blomeyer. The second phase of the project started in June with the grading of the Route AB extension and the accompanying embankments and drainage systems. The third phase of the project is the paving of the extension. The entire project is scheduled for completion in the summer or fall 2011.

Meyer said the need for the project grew out of a concern for public safety. He said because of the long, circuitous route taken by farmers and truck drivers to get to market, slow-moving, heavily loaded vehicles were traveling on the interstate to get to port.

"That is not desirable. It isn't the safest thing. One of the immediate benefits is the reduction of that seasonal truck traffic. It will keep them on the state highway," he said.

Stanley Beggs of Jackson owns a line of trucks that regularly goes through the affected area. He said the new extension will not only make the roads safer for drivers but reduce his gasoline costs.

"It is a wonderful thing. A lot of lives will be saved. A lot of fuel will be saved. Do you know how many gallons of fuel this will save in the course of a year?" he asked.

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said assisting the agricultural community in the area is important.

"Anything we can do to help our farmers get their product to market is critical. It is critical to the well-being of Southeast Missouri," she said.

Mark Shelton, MoDOT southeast district manager engineer, said Emerson and U.S. Sen. Kit Bond played a pivotal role in securing federal funds for the project.

Richard Vandeven of Chaffee, Mo., lives near the Blomeyer roundabout. While he thinks overall the project is a good thing, he has some reservations. He said the asphalt being used for the road surface will not last as long as concrete in an area prone to flooding.

He is also concerned the roundabout will not be able to accommodate the large equipment that is often on the road.

"There is some big machinery that comes through there. Farmers down here don't mess around with that little stuff," he said. He said a stoplight at the intersection would have been a better option.

In addition to Shelton and Emerson, Missouri Rep. Billy Pat Wright, Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Paul Koeper and former Cape Girardeau County commissioner Larry Bock spoke during the ceremony. Tom Schulte spoke at the ceremony on behalf of Bond.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

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