PROGRESS ON ROAD PROJECTS MIXED BECAUSE OF WEATHER

Work on last year's Transportation Trust Fund road construction projects was both pleasing and disappointing to city engineer Mark Lester.

"I was pleased that we did get some things accomplished," he said, referring to completion of several major projects.

"I was disappointed because we needed about three weeks of good weather to get three more done. The weather kind of put a cramp in things, but other than that, it was a pretty good year, I thought."

Workers completed construction projects on Perryville Road, Mount Auburn Road, Bloomfield Road, Siemers Drive and Silver Springs Road.

Weather in December held up projects on Broadway, Silver Springs Road and Hopper Road.

The Hopper Road project is nearly finished, with workers waiting to complete sidewalks, final grading and striping.

Silver Springs Road from William Street to Independence Street needs stoplight work, and workers need to construct an additional 100 feet of pavement at the intersection of Route K and Silver Springs Road.

"Even if the weather warms up, it's going to take forever for it to dry out because it sits in a low spot," Lester said.

Broadway construction should be completed as soon as Cape Girardeau gets a few days of warm, sunny weather. Workers need only to pour a two-inch asphalt overlay, which can only be done when temperatures are higher than 40 degrees, and install traffic signals at Clark and Broadway intersection.

Meanwhile, workers will complete the city's first roundabout as soon as the weather warms enough to paint stripes.

Lester said construction of the roundabout at Gordonville and Silver Springs roads -- another Transportation Trust Fund project -- is nearly complete.

Roundabouts require all motorists to yield to oncoming traffic, instead of obeying numerous traffic signals at a four-way intersection.

City officials have said the roundabout, on which workers began construction last summer, suits the Gordonville and Silver Springs roads intersection because of its proximity to traffic signals on William Street and the lower volume of traffic on Gordonville Road and adjoining roads.

Several upcoming projects are on hold as the city tries to obtain easements and right-of-way acquisitions, Lester said.

"As we get right-of-ways, we're going to go ahead and get construction bids," Lester said, adding that several projects should be started by summer at the latest.

The Transportation Trust Fund was developed in 1995, when voters approved a half-cent sales tax to fund road improvements. Originally, the fund was to be in place for five years, expiring Dec. 31, 2000.

But in August, voters approved extending the fund for another five years to pay for another $20 million in road improvements.

TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND PROJECT STATUS

COMPLETED PROJECTS

* Perryville Road: Near Meyer Drive to city limits (Hanover Church)

* Bloomfield Road: Christine Street east to Spring Street

* Mount Auburn Road: Bloomfield Road south to New Highway 74

* Siemers Drive: Bloomfield Road to New Highway 74 (connection)

* Silver Springs Road: Bloomfield south to New Highway 74

* Bloomfield Road: Kingshighway west to I-55

Hopper Road: Kage Road to Oak Ridge Court

NEARLY COMPLETE PROJECTS:

* Hopper Road: New alignment from Mount Auburn west to Kage Road

* Silver Springs Road: William Street north to Independence

* Broadway: Widening and reconstruction from Clark Street east to Perry Avenue

UPCOMING PROJECTS

* Mount Auburn Road: Widening to full four lanes, William to Independence

* Mount Auburn Road: Traffic signals at Independence intersection

* William Street: General improvement and/or widening Sprigg Street to Main Street

* Southern Expressway: Extension west from Kingshighway to Silver Springs Road

* New Madrid Street: Reconstruction from Perry Avenue east to Show-Me Center (including realignment of Henderson intersection)

* Rodney Street: New Cape La Croix Creek bridge and reconstruction from National Guard Armory north to Hawthorne

ON HOLD

* Lorimier Street: Morgan Oak to New Highway 74 (connection)

* Perryville Road: City limits north to Route W and Cypress Drive

* Kage Road: Mount Auburn Road to Hopper Road

* Mount Auburn Road: New HIghway 74 South to Southern Expressway. Acquiring property for Southern Expressway.

UNDER DESIGN:

* Independence Street: Reconstruction from Pacific Street to Sprigg Street, including intersections