LETTERS: OAK RIDGE NEEDS ACCESS

To the editor:

In response to John Oliver's April 11 letter concerning the I-55 and Route E exit, what was his motive?

I read the letter at first with a little frustration, then from his point of view. My reaction was that he has become the mouthpiece for someone else. The most glaring part about his opinion was how inaccurate his facts were. Economic impact seems to be his theme. How will Oak Ridge progress in the future? Let's look at it in a overall picture.

Start with the Benton exit and go north. Why there? Kelly High School is one of the schools we share academic and athletic activities with, and the communities are similar. The school is about the same distance from I-55, but the roads are flatter and straighter. The economic development in that area seems to be moving ahead. Businesses are cropping up along the exit and into Benton. They were given a chance.

Go north a few miles to Scott City. This small town is really cooking. The port authority has been a big help. There have been a lot of taxpayer dollars spent on that and the road built to service it. Growth has caused congestion at the exit during rush-hour traffic. As a volunteer firefighter, I understand completely the concerns of the community for getting emergency services in and out of town during those times. But they have been given a chance to improve.

The exits from Nash Road to Center Junction are a question. Have the cities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson expanded to what they are today because of what they had to offer or because of I-55 and the river bridge at Cape Girardeau? I look at Cape Girardeau and Jackson and remember them as a child growing up there until 1965. The comparison is drastic up until today. The part of I-55 past Cape Girardeau north to Fruitland was finished around 1963 or 1964. Development of Nash Road and Route K has also been made in the last 15 or 20 years.

U.S. 61 from Jackson through Cape Girardeau back to I-55 is now four and sometimes five lanes wide. The Lexington bypass, the new Cape Girardeau river bridge and all connecting roads have come from local, state and federal money. Mr. Oliver's town has definitely been given a chance.

The Fruitland exit area is probably one of the fastest growing communities. All the businesses northeast of I-55 on U.S. 61 and Highway 177 to Procter & Gamble Paper Products Co. is impressive. I was given a report this past week that there will be approximately 1,600 homes and other major building projects in this area alone. They have been given a chance.

I will come back to the Appleton exit later.

The Biehle exit: Contrary to Mr. Oliver's statements, Biehle was the recipient of an exit because the Route E exit was originally dropped. I personally talked with a state highway department representative at a public meeting held at the Oak Ridge school in March who explained this. The leaders in the Biehle area didn't hesitate when they were given the opportunity. The growth of large and small businesses has evolved there. Many young men and women who grew up there now live there today because of that vision. They received their chance.

Now on to Perryville. It is funny, but as I sit here writing this, I realize that I have been privileged to live and grow up in this area also. Perryville High School is my alma mater. Perryville has evolved into a major industrial area with more steady growth expected. This is mostly due to highways and leaders of the community looking toward the future. They are taking their chance.

Last of all, my home exit, Old Appleton. I am a farmer by trade. I live approximately 3 1/2 miles from I-55. Often a customer calls for hay or for some other reason and asks, "Where do you live?" Some of these calls come as far away as 200 miles. The first question I ask them is, "Do you know where the Appleton exit on I-55 is?" Most of the time they say yes, and from there on it's a piece of cake to give directions.

Mr. Oliver made a reference to the Apple Creek exit. There is a small town about 3 miles east by that same name with some very nice people living there. There is a creek by that name which flows behind our farm and under the interstate around the 119-mile marker. I have seen deer and turkey by the creek and few bullfrogs and fish in it. But no Apple Creek exit.

I'm assuming Mr. Oliver was referring to the Appleton exit. So let's look at the economic development at this exit. We have a restaurant, garage, small-engine repair shop and gas station. Don't laugh. It's the only gas station in the area between Fruitland and Biehle, including Oak Ridge. We have nine or 10 trucking companies within 5 miles that involve 40 to 50 families. The lime quarry in Old Appleton is still operating today because of I-55, if only partially. There are a number of small businesses and farmers that depend on transportation as its life's blood.

One of our fire stations is located at the Appleton exit, and the other station is in Oak Ridge. With a Route E and I-55 entrance and exit, our firefighting capabilities would be enhanced. My main concern is getting quicker ambulance and emergency rescue units from Cape Girardeau into the Oak Ridge area, especially west on Route E to Route B and north and south on Route D. This area is very isolated from emergency services in times of sickness and accidents.

You will notice the distance between Fruitland and Old Appleton is twice a far as most exits between Perryville and Benton, a distance of 12 miles. All others are no more than 6 miles. The exit would shave valuable minutes off emergency response times. At least 5 to 10 minutes would be saved, more during peak traffic times and bad weather.

The plans are drawn, and studies have been done. My understanding, after speaking with the representative at Oak Ridge and seeing the planned approaches on the map, is that we would only use two corners. I don't know all the viewpoints of the owners of said properties, but I do respect their stand and hope they respect mine.

With continued growth in these other communities, they will get funding to help expand. Oak Ridge needs this interchange for all the reason listed and more. The people around here who work in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Perryville pay federal and state gas taxes every time they fill up. So I think we deserve some of that back.

I hope Mr. Oliver or anyone else things long and hard before trying to blackball this project again. There is a voice this time.

Give us our chance.

MARVIN McMILLAN

Friedheim