HIGHWAY 177 CAN'T WAIT THREE YEARS ON STATE

Cape Girardeau County residents who live along Highway 177 have seen that route closed only nine times in the past 23 years due to floodwaters from a swollen Mississippi River. But two of those times -- for 54 days in 1993 and for 24 days this year -- occurred in the past three years.

They are tired of floodwaters forcing them to take detours over roads that weren't designed for thousands of cars a day. Emergency response personnel are concerned about the lost access when 177 closes to a large area of north Cape Girardeau County. Sheriff John Jordan is tired of making officers work 12-hour shifts so that someone is in flooded areas at all times to respond to any emergencies.

Residents along Highway 177 have had enough of dealing with a problem that seems easily corrected. Only three short stretches of highway would need to be raised to keep floodwaters off the road, and residents want the state highway department to make it so.

Unfortunately, the state's highway money already is obligated to other projects for at least three years. It is doubtful $1.5 million -- the estimated cost of the Highway 177 improvements -- will be found in state highway budget any time soon. The Federal Emergency Management Agency won't be any help either. The agency only provides money to restore roads damaged by floodwaters not to raise roads out of potential flood to come.

From where will the money come? Cape Girardeau County spent hundreds of thousands of dollars protecting Dutchtown from the 1993 and 1995 floods. County money also was spent in Allenville both years. That money came from the county's capital reserve fund. Although county commissioners aren't eager to discuss the reserve fund for fear that it will be seen as a source of revenue for all sorts of worthy projects and programs, the fund is substantial. There certainly is enough there to begin setting aside a portion in an interest-earning account that could finance the Highway 177 improvements over time.

County commissioners have every reason to jealously guard their capital reserve. But there is precedent for spending the money on county disasters and emergencies. It is time to consider spending the money to avert them.