NASH ROAD IMPROVEMENT URGENTLY NEEDED

For the thousands of motorists who regularly use Interstate 55's Nash Road interchange, the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department's plan to improve the interchange and replace the northbound Diversion Channel bridge comes as good news.

There were more accidents last year along the short stretch of I-55 between Nash Road and the Highway 74-Dutchtown interchange than anywhere in Cape Girardeau. The 31 accidents that occurred there injured 10 people.

The most important safety improvement is construction of a three-lane northbound bridge to replace the 40-year-old two-lane span. The extra lane is needed because the bridge is just north of the Nash Road interchange, and the entrance ramp onto I-55 is too short for merging traffic.

At the interchange itself, the department plans to add turn lanes, lighting and infrastructure for future traffic signals.

The department will hold an open house from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Mac's Smokehouse at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport to discuss the work, which is scheduled to begin this fall.

The meeting offers an opportunity to those who must regularly travel this hazardous stretch of highway an opportunity to let the department know how badly the improvements are needed.