WORK PROGRESSING ON THIRD PHASE OF ROUTE 3

Construction work on a 4.3-mile section of Illinois Route 3 between Thebes and Olive Branch is progressing.

The work is the third phase of a 7.5-mile Southern Illinois highway project that includes a new, scenic drive along the Mississippi River from Gale to Thebes and a new bridge leading into Thebes.

"Phases I and II of the three-phase project have been completed and work is moving along on Phase III," said Bob Zieba, district engineer of the Illinois Department of Transportation at Carbondale.

"We were delayed in early spring, but we've had good weather since, and the work on the latest section is about 35 percent complete," said Zieba. "Our completion date is mid-August of 1993, but, if we have another good year and could move more dirt, we could finish ahead of schedule."

Plans for the Phase III work, between Thebes and Twente Crossing north of Olive Branch call for 24-foot wide highways, and eight-foot blacktop shoulders.

"That's about double the space of the old roadways," said Zieba.

Presently, the old roadways have 20-foot pavements and little or no shoulders in some areas, said Zieba.

"These highways were built between 1932 and 1935," he said. "And this stretch is widely used."

Zieba said the average daily traffic count along the 4.3-mile stretch shows that an average of 2,200 vehicles travel the road each 24-hour period.

"About 10 percent of these vehicles are semi-trailer trucks," he said. "The new route will have a flatter grade than the existing route, which has a lot of steep hills and sharp, narrow curves."

He said the steep gullies along the existing route will be filled, and the grade of the new highway would be well above that of the old route.

Phase III is being built at a cost of about $4.3 million.

"When this phase is completed, you're going to have a much safer and scenic route," said Zieba.

Phase I work, which was completed in fall 1988, consisted of a new intersection near Thebes and a new bridge leading into Thebes.

Phase II, which opened in July, consists of a 2.8-mile Route 3 relocation between Gale and Thebes and a new bridge over Sexton Creek. The new route follows an old railroad bed, providing a scenic route along the Mississippi River.

"We've been busy in other areas along Route 3," said Zieba. "Last year we resurfaced the area from Twente Crossings into Olive Branch with the new 24-foot highways. Improvements were completed earlier to Cairo."

Route 3 improvements were also completed near Chester during the past year.

"When this 4.3-mile section is completed, motorists will find an improved Illinois Route 3 all the way from Cairo to Chester.