Transportation Trust Fund update

Our council was provided a semiannual summary of the Transportation Trust Funds (TTF-1 through TTF-4) at our regular meeting Feb. 21. The official ribbon cutting will be during March on two recently completed projects, which are Big Bend Road and the next phase of Bloomfield Road. These events afford me the opportunity to update our residents on the investment we have made on our streets in the past 17 years. We, as residents of Cape Girardeau, have voted four times over the years for the half-cent sales tax to be restricted to street improvements.

We have completed or have in progress more than $75 million in new streets, improved and repaired streets, overlays of asphalt streets, new and repaired sidewalks, improved stormwater drainage and new/improved street lighting.

All projects have been completed for TTF-1 and TTF-2. We have one major project remaining in TTF-3, which is the new Armstrong Drive. This project will further commercial development immediately west of Siemers Drive. These projects have been completed within budgets as outlined in the original programs. We will actually be able to transfer approximately $800,000 forward from TTF-2 to use in future projects.

Our initial major project in TTF-4 is the Broadway improvement project from Pacific to Water streets. This project is ready for bid and will be under construction within the next 60 days. Design is underway for a shared project with MoDOT for improvements at Lexington Avenue and Route W. Other major projects within TTF-4 include the next phase of Bloomfield Road from Benton Hill Road to White Oaks Lane, the next phase of Veterans Memorial Drive from Scenic Drive to Hopper Road, the extension of Walnut Street from Sprigg Street to West End Boulevard, West End Boulevard improvements from Linden Street to Jefferson Avenue and Rose to New Madrid streets, and signalization of the Independence Street/Gordonville Road intersection.

There are also continuing annual paving overlays, street, curb and gutter repairs and new sidewalk projects. These are completed throughout the city on a needs and priority basis as determined by our city staff.

Each of these five-year programs has enabled our city to make many street upgrades and build new streets to promote and enhance the orderly growth of our city of Cape Girardeau. These programs are very project-specific and are given the trust by our citizens that they will be completed in a timely basis and within budget. These planned projects have covered all areas and all wards of our city.

I thank all of our residents for their continued support of this crucial program.

Harry E. Rediger is the mayor of Cape Girardeau.