STATE LOOKS TO BETTER BUSY HIGHWAY 34

Highway 34 is a rural roller coaster of a highway. It dips, bends and winds its way through the hills and valleys of Southeast Missouri.

The Missouri Department of Transportation wants to take some of the twists and turns out of the route, widening the highway to four and even five lanes in some places and constructing shoulders along 85 miles of the road from west of Jackson to U.S. 60 east of Van Buren.

"The hope is that, when we are done, it is a road that you can actually drive 55 miles an hour on," said MoDOT project manager DawnRae Clark.

Current plans would widen the road from west of Cape Girardeau County southwest to near the Bollinger County line, in and around Marble Hill and in an area from west of Piedmont to east of Patterson.

The plan becomes more important as people flock to the countryside in search of a rural lifestyle. Highway 34 already is well traveled, with average daily traffic counts ranging from 13,610 in Piedmont to 11,900 at its junction with Highway 72 west of Jackson. Over 10,900 vehicles a day travel on Highway 34 at Marble Hill, MoDOT records show.

Those traffic counts are expected to grow to over 23,000 vehicles a day in the Jackson area in the next 20 years and to over 22,000 in the Piedmont area. The daily traffic count at Marble Hill is expected to climb to over 16,000.

But other sections of the highway see little use. West of Piedmont, traffic dwindles to less than 200 vehicles a day, state highway officials say.

But traffic volume isn't what is driving the project.

MoDOT project manager DawnRae Clark says safety is a major concern on the existing highway because of the lack of shoulders, the sharp curves and steep grades. Those engineering deficiencies are contributing factors in some of the accidents on the highway.

The state of Missouri is spending $1.8 million to plan for improvements. The money is going to Harding Environmental Science and Engineering, a St. Louis firm hired by MoDOT to draft the plan.

The public will have a chance to look at preliminary plans at three public meetings this month. Meetings will be held Tuesday at Piedmont, Thursday at Marble Hill and on Feb. 26 at Jackson.

Marble Hill resident Kim Ricketts said she's reserving judgment on the project until she sees the plans, but she knows the need is there.

"Straightening 34 is great because of all the accidents," said Ricketts, a Shelter Insurance agent. "People from this area have no idea that they shouldn't be passing where they do."

Clark said the plan, including construction cost estimates, should be finalized before the end of the year.

While there are no specific cost projections yet, Clark said the state will have to spend millions of dollars to construct the highway improvements.

A section of the highway from Piedmont to Patterson in Wayne County likely would be among the first projects, she said. Another priority area of the route is from Glen Allen to Grassy in Bollinger County, an area of sharp curves and steep grades.

Plan the first step

Construction, however, is still years away. The plan is just the first step. After that, construction design work must be done and the projects put on the highway department's rolling five-year plan for road construction.

Clark said it could be 2006 before any construction work takes place.

Larry Bock, Cape Girardeau County First District commissioner, said it could take even longer before motorists see any improvements. "If any part of this is done within 10 years, it would fool me," said Bock.

Still, he has high hopes for the road improvements, believing they will benefit the entire region. "The road will be a lot safer and it will handle traffic better," he said.

As proposed, Highway 34 in Cape Girardeau County would be widened to four lanes from Highway 72 through Burfordville and farther west to near the Bollinger County line.

State Rep. Rod Jetton welcomes the current planning effort. Without the planning, there would no improvements, said the Marble Hill real estate agent.

The planning virtually assures the highway will be improved, he said. "I am just tickled to death we are going to have it. It is almost just a matter of time."

Jetton said the improvements are needed in Marble Hill, which has a population of about 1,500 and is the largest town in Bollinger County.

A former Bollinger County commissioner, Jetton said an improved Highway 34, the main corridor through the county, could boost economic development in a county needing jobs.

Jetton said widening Highway 34 to four or even five lanes in Marble Hill would alleviate traffic congestion in the city.

MoDOT and the consulting firm are evaluating several alternative routes through Marble Hill.

"One of the routes cuts through my yard," said Jetton.

Some residents are concerned that highway improvements will take their homes, he said. But Jetton believes a better highway will benefit everyone.

Managing editor Heidi Hall contributed to this report.