SHAWNEE PARKWAY TO BE DEDICATED TODAY

This afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, city and state dignitaries are scheduled to gather at the intersection of Silver Springs Road and the new Shawnee Parkway to mark a significant milestone in highway construction in Cape Girardeau. They will dedicate the new parkway, which now extends from I-55 to Sprigg Street. Eventually, the parkway will connect to the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi River.

The $29.2 million project provide a 2.7-mile straight shot from the interstate to Sprigg Street, with only four intersections along the way. In addition, the new interchange on I-55 also provides another access to Siemers Drive, which is quickly becoming a major retail and commercial center along the western corridor of the interstate.

The new parkway provides pleasing vistas of our city that were heretofore unseen. The overall effect is sparkling new entrance that many visitors will see as they travel through on their way to Illinois.

All in all, Shawnee Parkway is major development for Cape Girardeau's traffic. It is bound to change some traffic patterns, which is good news for motorists who will continue to use otherwise congested thoroughfares.