RESIDENTS WELCOME LEXINGTON'S NEXT PHASE

Judy Criddle looks forward to the day when she no longer has to wave gravel dust away from her face when traffic whisks by her mail box on Melody Lane.

"When they connect Lexington to Sprigg Street, we'll all be a lot better off," said Criddle, who lives on Sena Fawn, a street connected to Melody Lane.

"For one thing, the street will be paved," said Criddle, holding her hand over her mouth as a school bus traveled past her mail box, stirring up more gravel, dust and discontent. "This is one of the busiest streets in north Cape," said Criddle.

"I can't wait to have an alternative to taking Sprigg Street to Snake Hill when I want to get to the mall or some place in the outskirts of the city," she said. "Right now when it snows, I've got to throw a shovel in the back of my car and floorboard it up the hill, hoping I'll make it through.

"That pavement will be good to have because the county will make sure it's graded right and plowed when there's snow on it," she said. "I'm all for progress, and that's definitely progress."

Linda Wilcox, who just moved into her home on Melody Lane, will have to pay dearly for such progress. "It's going to cost us $3,700 to pay our share of the cost of pavement when Lexington is connected to Sprigg," said Wilcox.

Residents who live on Melody Lane will have to pay $25 per front foot of pavement when Lexington is linked from Cape Rock to Sprigg, which runs along Melody Lane. "If they own a 100-foot lot, they would have to pay $2,500," said city Development Services Coordinator Ken Eftink. Eftink said those who reside on Melody Lane will have 10 years to pay for the pavement.

"I'm all for it because I think it will make the street cleaner and the property around here will be worth more," said Wilcox.

The Cape Girardeau City Council proceeded with passage of first reading for the Lexington Avenue extension project Monday night. Negotiations with property owners for the extension of Lexington between Cape Rock and Sprigg resulted in the signing of a general warranty deed and permanent easement.

Eftink said the next phase of the extension is expected to begin this summer with completion in summer 1995. The next phase is to connect Lexington to Highway 177. That phase likely will begin in spring 1995.

"When this is all completed it will be great, because there will be a main artery from Sprigg to Cape Rock and to Mount Auburn Road," said Criddle.

Said Wilcox: "I'm already using Lexington to get to work at the Veterans Home. But I have to take Sprigg Street to Snake Hill to get there. I'll be glad when I can go straight through."