WORK AT I-55, 61 BEGINS

The first phase of a project to improve traffic safety and the appearance of the I-55-Highway 61-34 interchange between Cape Girardeau and Jackson is under way.

Work began last week to remove a hill between the eastbound and westbound lanes of Highway 61 on the west side of the interchange.

The hill obstructs vision of motorists waiting to turn into or cross the eastbound lane of Highway 61. It has been there since Highway 61 was widened to four lanes a number of years ago.

Freeman McCullah, District 10 engineer for the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department at Sikeston, said the hill is being removed under a state permit by Mid-America Hotels Corp. of Cape Girardeau, which will pay for the cost of the work. The firm owns property on both sides of the interchange.

"It's a cooperative effort," said McCullah. "Mid-America is using the dirt from the hill to fill in a large hole between the two lanes at the west end of the interchange. When the work is completed next month, drivers in the eastbound lane of Highway 61 and those waiting to turn onto Highway 61 from the center ramp will have a better sight distance of each other.

"The city of Jackson is interested in the project because filling in the large hole between the two lanes will improve the appearance of the main thoroughfare into Jackson. And, with the removal of the hill, Mid-America Hotel will get better visibility of their properties on each side of the interchange, which they plan to develop."

Meanwhile, McCullah said planning for the second phase of the project is continuing. He said a decision on an option to further improve the interchange should be made in April or May. Depending upon the option chosen, work could begin next year.

The state is considering three options for the improvement of the interchange. One plan includes relocating the westbound lanes of Highway 61 closer to the eastbound lanes and eliminating the grassy median from near the Veterans Home to where the dual highway comes together just west of the interchange at the Jackson city limits. A second option is to remove just the hill between the dual lanes and leave the grassy median. The third option calls for realignment of the left-turn lanes at the off ramp intersections while maintaining the grassy median between the dual lanes.

The options include installation of traffic signals where the off ramps and dual highway lanes meet.

"One of the reasons we're looking at signalizing these intersections is because of the increasing amount of east-west, high-speed traffic on Highway 61 between Cape and Jackson and an increasing number of left-turn movements onto and off of the dual-lane highway," said McCullah.

McCullah was optimistic a decision on an option will come next spring. "What option we select will dictate the construction schedule," he said.

"This intersection will become even more congested as development continues in this area in Cape and Jackson. We will eventually have to signalize the intersection for traffic."

McCullah said traffic and accident studies were made at the interchange this past summer. Now, the highway department is getting updated aerial photographs of the interchange. This can only be done in the fall after all of the leaves are off the trees so the ground is clearly visible. All construction plans are developed through base data obtained from the aerial photographs."

McCullah said the interchange has become more congested in the past several years as the traffic flow on Highway 61 continues to increase between Cape Girardeau and Jackson. In addition, more motorists are electing to use the interchange to reach destinations in the north part of Cape Girardeau to avoid traffic congestion on Route K between Kingshighway and the interstate, said McCullah.