ROUTE J WORK ON SCHEDULE

FRUITLAND -- New Route J is expected to be open for traffic by Labor Day.

Construction is on schedule for the milelong section of road to be relocated at the Procter & Gamble plant to make way for a $350 million plant expansion.

The relocation calls for the moving of a 1.1-mile section of road around the perimeter of the P&G expansion area by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

"Everything is on schedule," said Andy Meyer, a department District 10 highway designer. "The new road will be open Sept. 1."

Meyer said a bridge included in the $2.5 million project will be placed on hold until summer 1998. "We'll provide a temporary bridge this year," he said. "Next summer we'll come back and install the permanent bridge."

Route J motorists are currently using the existing route, said Meyer. This will change about a month before the new route opens. "Motorists will have to use detour routes for about 30 days," said Meyer. Various county roads can be used for detours.

Route J as it is now was covered with water during the 1993 flood, forcing motorists to find new routes. "The new Route J is out of the floodplain," said Meyer. "Residents of the area will not be cut off in another flood."

Once Route J is relocated and various permits obtained by Procter & Gamble, construction of new buildings for production of towels and tissues will get under way probably this fall.

P&G announced in mid-April that it would build a $350 million addition to its Cape Girardeau County plant to enable an increase in production of tissues and towels. The expansion, which will result in 20 acres (850,000 square feet) under roof, will result in 350 new jobs.

Target date for the new P&G operation is early 2000.

The first of two buildings will be placed where two employee parking lots are situated on either side of Route J.

The new road is being built on land owned by P&G. The land is being donated for the project.

Dumey Excavation is contractor for the excavation and paving work. The contract was awarded June 6, and work started less than two weeks later.