CITY COUNCIL LISTS AREA'S TOP HIGHWAY PRIORITIES; JACKSON, COUNTY ADD SUPPORT TO RESOUTION

Officials in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Cape Girardeau County want to send the state highway department a message.

The Cape Girardeau City Council and Jackson Board of Aldermen are expected to pass a joint resolution tonight outlining the key highway projects they want the Missouri Department of Transportation to undertake.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission is also scheduled to vote on the resolution.

Local officials were disappointed last month when the highway department listed 13 priority projects. None of the three projects local officials consider top priority made MoDOT's list.

The key projects are extending state Highway 74, putting an interchange at East Main Street in Jackson and upgrading the intersection of Interstate 55 and U.S. 61.

"We're trying to re-emphasize the importance of those three projects with the highway department and see if we can get them back on track, because, apparently, the highway department has other ideas as to what their direction is going to be," said Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III.

In January, Jackson and Cape Girardeau officials approved a joint resolution expressing their desire for the state to start work on the East Main Street extension to I-55 in Jackson and realigning Highway 34 to make a connecting link between Route K and the Highway 74-Interstate 55 interchange.

All three entities -- both cities and the county -- have long lobbied for upgrading the I-55-U.S. 61 interchange known as Center Junction.

MoDOT has plans to expand Highways 34 and 72 from two to five lanes from west of Jackson to its junction with U.S. 61.

Scott Meyer, MoDOT's district engineer for Southeast Missouri, said previously discussed plans to create a Highway 34-72 bypass between Cape Girardeau and Jackson are justified by traffic flow.

Jackson aldermen voted unanimously on Oct. 5 to oppose that plan, arguing they can't support anything that makes the East Main extension a lower priority.

And last week, the Cape Girardeau Planning and Zoning Commission expressed its unhappiness about the Highway 34-72 plan. Members argue widening the highway at Jackson won't relieve traffic congestion in Cape Girardeau.

Some have said MoDOT isn't listening to what local residents want.

Spradling doesn't quite agree with that, pointing out that the state has to meet federal requirements to get funding for highway projects.

"I think (MoDOT) is listening to what we're saying, but I don't know that they're reacting to what we're saying," Spradling said.

Federal guidelines don't give MoDOT much leeway in setting priority projects, he said.

"That's probably not what the people around here would like," he said. "They're hearing us, but, unfortunately, unless we can change some ideas in Jefferson City or in Washington, D.C., I don't think there's a lot of leeway they have locally to do anything."

Cape Girardeau City Council

7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19

Study session 5 p.m.

Consent ordinances

-- An ordinance approving the record plat of LaCroix Meadows Business Park.

-- An ordinance granting a special use permit to Selma M. Crisler for maintaining and operating a residential use at 624 Commercial St.

-- An ordinance granting a special use permit to Jess and Freida Hopple and Pat and Edna Patterson for maintaining and operating a photography studio at 2700 Bloomfield Road.

-- An ordinance amending the code of ordinances by changing the zoning of part of tracts on Park and Normal avenues from R-4 to R-2.

-- An ordinance granting a special use permit to Holigan Family Investments, Inc., for constructing, maintaining and operating a parking lot and display home at 1988 and 1996 N. Sprigg St.

-- An ordinance granting a special use permit to the city for constructing, maintaining and operating additional facilities at the water treatment plant at 20 E. Cape Rock Drive.

-- An ordinance vacating the city's interest in a utility and drainage easement at 1923 Briarwood.

-- An ordinance reaffirming the action of the city council declaring it necessary to improve, providing for the improvement, directing the city manager to do the work and providing for the manner of the payment of the work of Missouri Street from Mississippi to Scott streets.

-- An ordinance reaffirming the action of the city council declaring it necessary to improve, providing for the improvement, directing the city manager to do the work and providing for the manner of payment for the work of Hopper Road from Kage to Oak Ridge roads.

-- An ordinance approving the record plat of McLane Outlot No. 2 subdivision.

-- An ordinance accepting a quit claim deed from G. Keith Deimund, trustee, and Summit Enterprises, LLC, for a street and bridge improvement in Lynwood Hills subdivision.

-- An ordinance amending the city code by placing a stop sign on Shirley Drive.

-- An ordinance authorizing the acquisition of property for the Cape Rock Water Treatment Plant expansion project.

New ordinances

-- An ordinance amending the city code relating to trees.

-- An ordinance accepting a general warranty deed from Michael A. Mathes, trustee of Michael A. Mathes Revocable Trust, for Hopper Road Phase II improvements.

-- An ordinance accepting a corrected quit claim deed from the Missouri Department of Transportation for the right of way for Southern Expressway and William Street.

-- An ordinance accepting utility easements from Carl W. and Shirley A. Patterson and Larry D. Brown for a water line along Franks Lane.

-- An ordinance authorizing the city manager to execute a St. Vincent Seminary Property Cooperation Agreement with Southeast Missouri State University.

Resolutions

-- A resolution authorizing the city manager to execute a lease with the Federal Aviation Administration for terminal building space at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

-- A resolution authorizing the city manager to execute an escrow agreement with Randol Farms Subdivision LLC and Commerce Bank NA for improvements at the Kenneth Drive and Abbey Road intersection in Randol Farms Subdivision No. 8.

-- A joint resolution of the City Council of Cape Girardeau, the Board of Aldermen of Jackson and the Cape Girardeau County Commission expressing and reconfirming mutual support for planning and construction of three key highway projects of regional importance by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Appointments

-- Appointments to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

-- Appointments to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Liquor Licenses

-- Conditional approval of an original package 5 percent beer and Sunday sales license for Schade, LLC, d/b/a Mr. K's Food Center, 254 S. Silver Springs Road, Wilhelm Schade, managing officer.

-- Conditional approval of an original package liquor and Sunday Sales for Yusra M. Yunis, d/b/a U Kwick Stop, 1700 Broadway, Yusra M. Yunis, managing officer.

Other

-- A motion approving the improvement plans for Richmond Drive and Kell Farm Drive in Cape West Business Park, and discussion and action regarding a request for variance in the width of Kell Farm Drive.

-- A motion approving the improvement plans for Northfield Nineteenth Subdivision.

-- A motion accepting the sanitary sewer improvements to serve Cape Bible Chapel along Kage Road.

-- Discussion and action regarding the request to extend the escrow agreement for Ashland Court subdivision.

-- A motion approving the amended preliminary plat for Clarkton Place Subdivision Phase IV.

-- A motion accepting an annexation petition from Drury Southwest Signs and setting a public hearing on the proposed annexation.