A PUSH FOR HIGHWAY 177

Another highway project of considerable importance to the area is a stretch of Highway 177 just north of Cape Girardeau that is prone to flooding whenever the Mississippi River rises. In the past 23 years, the half-mile portion of highway where Cape Rock Drive crosses has been closed nine times due to high water. In recent years, the highway was closed for 54 days during the 1993 flood and 24 days during this year's flooding.

This is an important stretch of roadway for a lot of reasons. It provides access for workers at some of the county's biggest employers. It is a bus route for the Nell Holcomb School District. And it is important access for emergency vehicles of the East County Fire Protection District.

Whenever Highway 177 is closed, motorists must use nearby county roads as alternatives, which can mean going dozens of miles out of the way. While the county roads are well maintained, they weren't built to handle a large traffic volume.

It is good to see the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department taking an interest in this problem. The department has surveyed the area as part of preliminary steps to determine the cost of raising the roadbed above flood level. Residents in the area have taken a lead role in bringing together individuals and agencies to solve the problem. Already the residents have offered help in securing the right of way and a nearby source of fill dirt.

In addition, funding assistance should be sought from the county. Helping pay for the Highway 177 project, even though it is a state highway, would avoid wear and tear on county roads when the highway is closed. And, as with any highway project, supplementary funding sources always give a project a higher priority in Jefferson City.