STUDY TO FOCUS ON COUNTY'S ROAD NEEDS

A St. Louis firm will survey traffic needs for Cape Girardeau County and lay out a plan for road improvements that might include some rerouting of state highways.

The project will cost about $1.7 million, including $400,000 for the initial needs assessment. Environmental Science & Engineering Inc. will do the work under a contract with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department.

The needs study will take about six months. The firm will then develop plans for specific improvements that could include everything from reconstructing to rerouting some roads. Developing the plans could take 18 to 24 months.

The study and planning work will focus on state routes, said Bruce McNitt, the firm's senior project manager.

Traffic survey work will begin Monday, weather permitting, with the field work taking about three weeks, McNitt said.

Motorists will be asked to answer six to eight questions about their travels or fill out and return a prepaid postcard.

The survey will identify the origin and destination of motorists in the area, frequency and purpose of trips, and the number of passengers.

Traffic counts also will be taken.

Surveys will be conducted along state highways leading into and out of Cape Girardeau and Jackson, and at I-55 interchanges.

Motorists will be stopped at random as they pass the survey stations, which will be clearly marked with warning signs, cones and flags.

As many as 12 to 14 people may be involved in the survey work in Cape Girardeau County at any one time, McNitt said.

A focus group of about a dozen local officials and representatives from Southeast Missouri State University, the Chamber of Commerce and industrial recruitment groups will help assess current and future traffic needs.

McNitt said the project will look at the impact that the planned Mississippi River bridge will have on traffic patterns.

Areas of heavy traffic congestion will be looked at as part of the overall study.

Larry Rohr of the state highway department said the traffic study will determine what road improvements are needed. "It is very open-ended at this point," he said.

TRAFFIC STUDY SURVEY STATIONS

Highway 61 near I-55 interchange at Fruitland

Highway 61 south of Route Y

Highway 34 near its intersection with 72 west of Jackson

Highway 61 and I-55 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson

Route K at I-55

Illinois Highway 146 just east of the Mississippi River bridge

South Kingshighway south of the Highway 74 intersection.

Highway 74 west of I-55 at the Dutchtown exit

I-55 at Nash Road

Highway 25 south of Dutchtown