THE GREAT RIVER ROAD: INTEREST IN OLD PROJECT REVIVED

Future needs of the Great River Road, a 3,000-mile network of federal, state and local roads on both sides of the Mississippi River from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, are discussed in an "Accomplishments and Future Needs" report issued by the Mississippi River Parkway Commission.

The Great River Road is one of the nation's oldest and longest national scenic byways, said John Edman, executive director of the commission headquartered in Minneapolis.

Roads near either side of the Mississippi River along its entire length have been designated The Great River Road and are marked with a road sign containing a ship's pilot wheel.

"The Great River Road represents major investments by the 10 states along the Mississippi River," said Edman, who is also director of the National Parkway Commission.

In 1999, states along the river invested more than $143 million in federal, state and local funds in highway and amenity projects along the Great River Road.

Missouri reported spending almost $62 million on the Great River Road in 1999. Most went to a Mississippi River bridge at Hannibal and a bridge on Interstate 70 in St. Louis, said Mark S. Kross, assistant to the division engineer of the Missouri Department of Transportation.

For Missouri, the road designation starts along U.S. 61 at the Iowa line to Canton and LaGrange, where the highway changes to Route B before picking up old U.S. 61 again heading south to Hannibal. There it hits Highway 68, then Highway 79 along the Mississippi all the way to Interstate 70 at St. Peters. It follows I-70 to downtown St. Louis near the Arch, where it switches to Interstate 55 to Crystal City. There it picks up U.S. 61 again and follows it to the Arkansas line.

An estimated $1.3 billion is needed for development along the entire route of the Great River Road over the next five years. This averages to more than $264 million per year through 2005. Missouri needs the most, $599 million.

"We're looking at a number of projects from Hannibal south to Caruthersville," said Kross. Projects are planned in Perry, Cape Girardeau, Pemiscot and Scott counties.

"Overall, we're seeing a revival in the Great River Road," said Edman. "There seems to be more interest now in the river and roads along the river. We hope it continues into the future."

The idea for the Great River Road was first proposed in 1938 by the Department of the Interior. It was to become the third major national parkway in the U.S. in addition to the Blue Ridge and Natchez Trace parkways. The road was initially conceived as part of a grand linkage of North and South America, extending from Canada to Chile via the Pan-American Highway.

Congress did not approve funding for the first feasibility study until 1949. The study concluded that the Great River Road would benefit the entire nation. It also determined that rather than establishing a new parkway, the Great River Road should be designated a scenic route on existing federal, state and local roads. Beginning in the late 1950s, signs with the green and white pilot wheel logo were placed along the route.

Early funding for the program was categorical, meaning money was set aside for the project and could not be spent on any other type of road project. Millions of dollars were available to the 10 states.

By 1986, however, the era of categorical funds expired. After 1986, all Great River Road projects had to compete with other highway projects for funding. Since many of the Great River Road routes were little-used country roads, improvements were typically not a priority and funding waned.

STATE FUNDING FOR GREAT RIVER ROAD

Accomplishments 1999

Arkansas, $5,719,000

Illinois, $10,500,000

Iowa, $831, 300

Kentucky, $28,187,940

Louisiana, $949,722

Minnesota, $24,904,000

Mississippi, $744,275

Missouri, $61,971,339

Tennessee, $0

Wisconsin, $10,155,180

Total, $143,926,756

Future needs 2000-2005

Arkansas, $89,665,000

Illinois, $164,200,000

Iowa, $33,087,000

Kentucky, $6,153,000

Louisiana, $8,910,000

Minnesota, $155,718,750

Mississippi, $8,619,100

Missouri, $599,061,000

Tennessee, $214,530,000

Wisconsin, $43,244,000

Total, $1,323,187,850

Source: Mississippi River Parkway Commission