WORK HAS BEGUN ON FRUITLAND INTERCHANGE

FRUITLAND -- It will be an inconvenience for awhile, but once the work at the Fruitland interchange is complete, traffic in the area will be less congested.

The interchange is set to get five lanes that will go all the way from Route 61 to Route 177. The area connects traffic to major roads such as Route 61 and I-55. There also is some bridge work in the area that has to be done because of the extra weight of additional lanes.

There will be two lanes going both ways with a center turn lane and the interchange also will have traffic signals to make it easier for traffic going to Procter and Gamble and easier to connect to the major roads at the interchange. The project already is underway and is expected to be completed by September of 2000.

"This will allow more storage because there will be an extra lane people can use as they are waiting to get onto the interstate," said Randy Hitt, an area engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Other MoDOT projects that are underway in the Southeast Missouri region include four in Stoddard County and one in Scott County.

Work has already started at Route 25, one mile south of Route OO. There is some bridge work going on that should be completed by the beginning of October. Traffic is down to one lane with a signal light that is causing about a 5 to 7 minute delay.

There also is more bridge work on Route 25, one mile south of Route K. Again traffic is down to one lane with a signal light causing 5 to 7 minute traffic delays. Work should be completed by the beginning of October.

The final construction on Route 25 is the area south of Route O to the Bloomfield city limits. The work involves road resurfacing, repairing some pavement and extending a box culvert. There is one lane of traffic in the area and there is a 7-minute delay. Weather permitting, the construction should be complete by Oct. 1.

The other Stoddard County project is work on Route 60 between Route 25 and Route E in New Madrid County. There is a bypass in place and crews are doing work to box culvert 60 and 153. There is a 45 mph speed limit in the construction area and work should be complete Sept. 17.

In Scott County, Route HH from Route H to east I-55, there will be a new roadway from the interchange H and HH to a new interchange at I-55. Work is already in progress and should be completed by the end of October.