LEXINGTON WELL-HANDLED, WELL-DESIGNED PROJECT

Americans are all too familiar with public works projects that become boondoggles, monuments to government waste and inefficiency. But the Lexington Avenue arterial project is not one of them. Far from it. The Lexington project continues to move forward with a singlemindedness that should be applauded.

Construction of the arterial is on schedule because it has been a well-designed and well-managed project. And that can be attributed to the efforts of the City Council and the city staff, headed by City Manager J. Ronald Fischer.

That's not to say the $4 million project didn't have its share of controversy in the beginning. But city officials should be commended for not letting the criticisms of a few detour a worthwhile project.

Lexington already has been constructed from Kingshighway to Perryville Road. A short section from Perryville Road eastward to the old Lexington will be constructed this year, extending the route to Cape Rock Drive. Construction is also expected this year on a portion of the route from Cape Rock Drive to old Sprigg Street Road north of Bertling.

The entire Lexington project should be completed on schedule in 1994, leaving the city with an important east-west artery along the northern part of the city from Kingshighway to Highway 177. That, coupled with the northward extension of the new Sprigg Street, should open up a large tract of land for development and pave the way for future growth no small accomplishment.

What's most remarkable is that all this work, involving a series of separate construction contracts, has been done within budget. Preliminary engineering for the project began in 1988. Construction of the first section began in 1989.

Engineering estimates in early 1989 placed the cost of the entire project at $3.4 million. Nearly four years later, the price tag is now about $4 million. The increase is due to added costs in the construction of a bridge over Cape LaCroix Creek and intersection work at Route W and the nearby Kingshighway intersection. That work, which had to be done to state standards, was supervised by the state and paid for with state and federal money. Financially, that was a good move for the city.

Lexington is only partially completed now. But already, the completed section from Kingshighway to Perryville is paying dividends, opening up new residential areas and providing an arterial connection to a number of existing residential neighborhoods.

With its connection to Mount Auburn at Kingshighway, Lexington provides motorists with a good route to and from the West Park Mall area.

Cape Girardeau residents have every reason to expect the remainder of the work will proceed as smoothly as the earlier phases.

When it's completed, this community will have a topnotch artery route visible testimony to the efforts of city officials and staff.