ROAD PROJECT LIST ENDORSED BY COUNCIL

The Cape Girardeau City Council Monday agreed to endorse and send to the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department a list of area road projects for the department's 15-year highway plan.

But council members fell short of endorsing two ideas suggested by Mayor Gene Rhodes.

The mayor said he wanted the highway department to also study adding a lane to Kingshighway from existing Highway 74 north to Interstate 55.

And Rhodes suggested the department study whether Highway 177 should be realigned with West End Boulevard in the city rather than Sprigg Street as was included in the measure approved Monday.

"I'd just like to leave it open-ended and let the highway department choose," he said of his suggestions.

But other council members said they wouldn't support a West End alignment of Route 177. City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said a West End route would be much more expensive because it would involve more new construction than the Sprigg Street route.

Rhodes said Sprigg Street was too narrow near the university campus, while he thought the city already had a 60-foot right-of-way along West End.

But council member Mary Wulfers said she would be "very opposed" to widening West End, particularly near its intersection with Bertling where there are a number of homes relatively close to the street.

"If there's a 60-foot right-of-way, that would take the road too close to the houses," she said.

Councilman Al Spradling III said that in response to Lexington Avenue residents' concerns two years ago, the council agreed to keep from directing truck traffic anywhere west of Sprigg, which already is a high-grade truck route.

The resolution approved Monday asked for a "comprehensive study of the needs of the entire (Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City) area" as part of the state's 15-year highway plan, and included a list of seven priority road projects for the area, including:

Extension of a new Mississippi River bridge and Highway 74 west and northwest of Interstate 55 to connect with Route K, and conversion of the planned intersection of Highway 74 and Kingshighway to an interchange design.

Extension of Nash Road to the Southeast Missouri Regional Port in Scott City and west to Highway 25 near Blomeyer.

Construction of a Highway 177 and I-55 connection, which could tie into an eastward extension of Jackson's Main Street.

Construction of a more direct Highway 72 corridor between Fredericktown at I-55 near Fruitland.

Construction of a new Highway 34 corridor from Marble Hill east to I-55.

As an alternate to the Highway 72 and 34 corridors, a southeastward route from the Highway 72-34 junction to Highway 25 near Gordonville.

Relocation of Highway 177 in Cape Girardeau to align with Sprigg Street.

In a related matter Monday, the council failed to act on a measure to authorize engineering and right-of-way acquisition for an extension of Mt. Auburn Road to the new Highway 74 corridor.

Last year the Highway and Transportation Department announced it would change the site of the Mt. Auburn intersection with the new route.

But Fischer said Monday the city now is getting "mixed signals" from the department's District 10 office in Sikeston.

He said the department last week sent a letter to the city with plans for the Mt. Auburn and new Highway 74 intersection, but the department now has wavered on the matter.

"They heard some comments from some people affected by it, and apparently they don't have a location yet," Fischer said.

The issue has been a contentious one for property owners along Northview Drive who likely will be affected by the Mt. Auburn extension. The council agreed last year to direct the extension west of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, but City Engineer J. Kensey Russell said Monday the route might have to be moved east.

The council agreed to again consider the matter after the staff gets more information from the highway department.

In other business, the council agreed to prohibit parking on the west side of the 200 block of Clark Street near Central High School.

Residents of the street had signed a petition asking for the change, and some of them attended Monday's meeting.

Police Chief Howard "Butch" Boyd, who earlier recommended that parking continue to be allowed in the area, said at Monday's study session that he's changed his mind.

"Any time you remove on-street parking in a school area, you enhance safety," he said.

The council also agreed to raise fines for parking violations. The issue was prompted by two residents living near the Southeast Missouri State University campus who complained of illegal parking on their street.

Boyd said the minimum fine for illegal parking on city streets is only $2.

"Many people are willing to receive a $2 parking ticket for the privilege of parking there all day," he said. "We feel if the parking fines were increased, it would free up some of these areas and lessen these complaints."

New fines will range from $10 to $25 for illegal parking in one- and two-hour parking zones; and $15 to $25 in other parking violations.