PORT TO BEGIN $500,000 IN WORK

SCOTT CITY -- Port authority officials opened bids on a half-million-dollar project Monday, the first step toward getting sewers, railroad tracks and paved roads to port businesses.

The Economic Development Administration, under the U.S. Department of Commerce, awarded the Southeast Missouri Port Authority a $3.075 million grant in 1994. Funds were earmarked for job creation and general economic development.

Money also came in from the Community Development Block Grant program for flood-related improvements. The Missouri Highways and Transportation Department chipped in too.

The total came to $4.1 million, allowing a series of improvements officials say they hope will attract more businesses to the port. There are only two with land there now -- Girardeau Stevedores and Consolidated Grain and Barge.

Last fall port authority board members let a contract for street work on Harbor Road and River Road near the port. The work cost about $400,000.

Now contractors will have to grade and pave part of Rushing Road, grade an area for railroad tracks, loop a water line to prevent supply cutoffs and install a sanitary sewer system.

All the work will be above flood elevation, and underground lines will be leakproof. Because of water line looping, port businesses won't be cut off when work is done on a small part of the line.

P&R Developers of Cape Girardeau submitted the low bid with $550,921. T. Drury Contracting Inc. of Bloomsdale was highest with $923,006. The port authority board and its engineer will review the bids and award a contract Wednesday.

Lanny Koch, owner of Girardeau Stevedores, said the more development the port authority does the more likely he is to have company in the harbor.

"I wish this had been done before I went out there," he said. "But it's a good location."

Dan Overbey, port authority director, said the impact of planned improvements will be noticeable.

"When you don't have the infrastructure in place, it is hard to attract industry," he said. "People don't want to come in if you don't have the railroad in place and you also have to say, `Put in your own septic system.'"