JEFFERSON CITY -- When it comes to where highway tax dollars are being spent, Missouri's two metropolitan areas are in the fast lane, with more than a fourth of the state's counties facing a 45-month project detour.

A computer analysis of the current $2.6 billion highway improvement program shows that $1 out of every $5 to be spent by the Missouri Highway Department for new and improved roads through 1998 has been earmarked for projects in St. Louis city and county. This area and counties immediately surrounding St. Louis will claim one-third of the proposed $2.6 billion highway improvement projects, an analysis indicates.

Jackson County, which includes the state's largest city, Kansas City, will receive 11 percent of the new construction projects, while three counties in the immediate area will increase the region's share to 18 percent.

Springfield, Missouri's third largest city, will receive a mere 2 percent of the new-project funds, but counties in the immediate area of Greene County are scheduled to get an additional 7 percent. More than $100 million will be spent in the Branson area in an attempt to relieve traffic congestion around the state's most popular tourist region.

The analysis shows 28 counties, several of them containing federal highways, will receive no funding for new projects under the proposed program that began last April, while 10 percent of the counties included in the construction schedule will receive less than $250,000.

Rather than designate specific resurfacing projects during the 45-month period, the department has allocated $45.7 million for resurfacing work over its 10-district system. The breakdown on these projects includes $2 million in the St. Louis area, $3.6 million in the Kansas City area, and $6 million in Springfield.

Additional resurfacing allocations call for $4.6 million in Southeast Missouri, $3.3 million in Northwest Missouri, $1.4 million in the north central region, $4.5 million in Northeast Missouri, $5.7 million in mid-Missouri, $2.7 million in Southwest Missouri and $9.9 million in the south central region.

Kansas City will be the scene of the largest number of new projects, totaling 67, scheduled through 1998, while St. Louis County has been designated for 62 new construction sites, plus three additional bridge projects which it will share with St. Charles County.

In the mid-Missouri area, three counties are scheduled to receive the bulk of new-construction funding: Boone County, $26.8 million; Camden County, $57.7 million; and Phelps County, $23.6 million.

In Southeast Missouri, Cape Girardeau County will receive $47.5 million for new construction, while Butler County is scheduled for new projects totaling $48.2 million.

In Northwest Missouri, Buchanan County, which includes St. Joseph, will receive only $8.7 million for three proposed projects.

Highway department officials have stated that its presently proposed construction program can't be fully funded unless Missouri receives its full share from the Federal Highway Trust Fund and gets legislative approval for a $500 million state bond issue. The agency says it's due $1.25 billion through 1998 from the federal trust fund, although in recent years some checks have been withheld because of federal budgetary problems.

The bond issue question will have to be resolved when the General Assembly convenes next month, although its fate is also in doubt since Gov. Mel Carnahan is still undecided about recommending legislative approval.

The other funding component, $850 million, comes from state highway user fees, including the gasoline tax, which is set to increase another 2 cents next year in the final step of a 1992-enacted 6-cent hike.