TRAFFIC SIGNALS PLANNED IN CAPE, JACKSON

Traffic signals will be installed in the coming months at heavily used intersections in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, a Missouri Highway and Transportation Department official said Monday.

Next month, signals will be installed at the intersection of Route K and Silver Springs Road in Cape Girardeau. Signals will go up at the intersection of East Jackson Boulevard and Donna Drive in Jackson this fall.

Bob Sfreddo, District 10 highway engineer at Sikeston, said the Jackson project was approved following a recent traffic survey and a review of motor vehicle accidents at the East Jackson and Donna Drive location.

"The survey showed there was a need for the signals because the large volume of traffic on East Jackson prevents traffic on Donna Drive, and a commercial area south of the intersection, from making left or right turns onto East Jackson," Sfreddo said.

According to Jackson police accident reports, there were 14 motor vehicle accidents at the intersection within the past two years. All of them could have been prevented if traffic signals had been in operation at the intersection, Sfreddo said.

He said the signal heads will be mounted on cable strung across East Jackson. Traffic sensors will be installed in the pavement on Donna Street and at the exit of the commercial area on the south side of the highway.

"Normally, the traffic lights on East Jackson will remain green until traffic on Donna or the commercial area triggers a change," Sfreddo explained.

Total cost of the project is $15,000. Sfreddo said the city of Jackson has indicated it may participate in the project by providing and mounting the poles for the signal heads.

Jackson Mayor Carlton Meyer said he will ask the board of aldermen to approve the city's participation in the project. "We're very excited and pleased that signals are going to be installed," the mayor said. "We've waited a long time for this. In fact, we asked for the traffic signals before asking for the four-lane highway."

In May, the mayor presented the highway department with petitions bearing the names of 2,000 residents asking that signals be installed at that location.

Sfreddo said the Route K-Silver Springs Road traffic signals will be installed by a private contractor using signal heads provided by the state.

"The contract has been signed by the city and the developer (Drury Southwest) who has agreed to install the signals provided by the state," Sfreddo said. "The developer is now obtaining bids. It should take about two weeks to install the signals after a contract has been signed. I anticipate they'll be in operation sometime in August."

Sfreddo said the method of using a combination of state, city, and private funding for installation of traffic signals is becoming more prevalent around the state. He noted the signals at Route K and Mt. Auburn Road were installed by the state with additional funds supplied by the May Company of St. Louis.

Sfreddo said the temporary traffic signals will be mounted over Route K on poles and cable. He said permanent traffic signals mounted on metal poles (similar to those at Route K and Kingshighway) will be installed after the Route K-Silver Springs Road intersection improvement project is completed.

Sfreddo said that project is still in the design stage.