SEMO students will return to find wider Broadway

The widening of Broadway from Park Avenue to Houck Place should be largely completed by the time students return next month for fall semester classes at Southeast Missouri State University, school officials said.

Students begin returning to campus on Aug. 18, and classes start on Aug. 22.

Scott Meyer, facilities management director at Southeast, said he doesn't expect all of the work will be finished by the move-in date. But he said he expects to have a wider Broadway, a reconstructed Henderson Avenue intersection and a new campus parking lot open to traffic .

As part of construction, the westbound lane of Broadway from Pacific Street to West End Boulevard will be closed for about two weeks beginning Monday. Westbound traffic will be detoured via Pacific Street and West End Boulevard, city officials said.

The university is paving a gravel lot next to Houck Field House, constructing sidewalks and installing two monument signs with waterfalls at the Broadway and Henderson intersection.

The entire project, including street work, costs $2.4 million. About $1.3 million of the cost will be paid from the city's transportation sales tax. The remaining $1.1 million will be paid by the university from existing bonds proceeds and money set aside for campus improvements.