ROUTE K WIDENING PROJECT UNDER WAY

The long-delayed Route K widening project near the Wal-Mart Supercenter west of Interstate 55 is under way.

Bob Wilson, resident engineer with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department's project office at Jackson, said Tuesday the contractor began work on the south side of Route K about 10 days ago.

Route K will be improved from the Interstate-55 overpass westward to the westernmost entrance to Wal-Mart. The work will include widening of Route K to five lanes and adding a left-turn lane to allow motorists to make left turns off Route K into the Wal-Mart parking lot. Traffic signals will be installed at Wal-Mart's expense at the easternmost entrance to Wal-Mart.

Wilson said the widening should relieve traffic congestion during peak traffic periods.

By widening the highway and adding the left-turn lane, motorists can enter the left-turn lane to go into Wal-Mart while eastbound and westbound traffic on Route K continues to move.

Last winter traffic was frequently backed up in the westbound lane of Route K east of its I-55 overpass because of motorists trying to make a left turn into the Wal-Mart lot. Traffic signs that were installed at the west end of the overpass helped some, but backups still continued, especially during rush-hour and peak shopping periods.

The improvement is being privately financed. The bulk of the project will be paid for by Wal-Mart and Drury Development Corp. will pay a small percentage of the cost. Wal-Mart has hired an engineer to prepare plans and a contractor to do the work, Wilson said.

Because it is a private project, Wilson said state involvement will be limited to daily inspection by a state inspector to make sure all work meets state requirements and specifications. The state approved construction plans and issued permits for the work.

"I can't say when the work will be done, but I certainly hope it's completed before the end of November," said Wilson.

Startup of the Route K widening is good news to Freeman McCullah, District 10 highway engineer at Sikeston. The department has caught some heat from motorists caught in traffic jams who mistakenly believed the highway department was dragging its feet on the project.

McCullah explained the state had no control as to when work would begin.

Upon completion, McCullah said the department will conduct a traffic survey to determine if additional traffic signals will be required at nearby Route K and Siemers Drive.