VOTERS MAY BE ASKED TO EXTEND TRANSPORATION TRUST FUND TAX

Cape Girardeau voters soon could be asked to extend an existing sales tax that would be used to help pay for road construction projects.

The Transportation Trust Fund has helped the city pay for nearly 20 road improvement projects in the last five years. The projects have been funded by a half-cent sales tax that was first approved in 1995. The existing tax will expire later this year.

The city hopes to present the tax extension to voters in August, but those plans are tentative based on the planning efforts and estimates for new projects.

The Planning and Zoning Commission met Wednesday afternoon for what could be the first of many meetings to discuss needed projects and estimated costs. "We'll have as many as it takes," said Kent Bratton, city planner.

The commission is working from a list of proposed projects that were suggested at the same time as the list of current projects. The proposed list includes street extensions, widening and new construction and general improvements to some of the city's major streets.

The city needs to consider which routes it wants to improve, whether they be the north-south routes or east-west routes in the city, said Harry Rediger, a commission member.

"We don't need to put a lot of money into two north-south routes," he said.

City engineers presented estimates for the projects, but they could be revised depending on the scope of each project. "They could be doable in phases," said City Engineer Mark Lester.

Most of the projects on the proposed list relate to the city's Major Street Plan, Bratton said.

"Hopefully, someday we'll get them all done," he said.