Part of 34/72 will be opened to four lanes in Jackson on Wednesday

Signals along the one-mile upgraded portion of Highway 34/72 in Jackson should be operating Wednesday evening, allowing all four lanes of the new roadway to be opened to traffic.

This is a milestone in the three-phase Highway 34/72 widening project, said Kevin Plott, senior construction inspector for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

"We've been only able to let traffic use one lane on each side," he said.

The three new traffic signals will be turned on at the intersections of Highway 34/72 and Highway 25, Oklahoma Street and Penzel Drive; and Farmington Street and Route PP.

MoDOT has been working on phase 1 of the project, which begins at the intersection of Highway 34 and West Main Street and ends at County Road 335, since the end of 2004. It was estimated to be completed sometime this winter but Plott said that is subject to change.

"We're limited right now with what we can do because of the weather," he said. "We're still needing to lay concrete for the median, sidewalks and the islands at the intersections. If the temperature gets too cold, we can't lay concrete."

Darius Dowdy, resident engineer, said the contractor is finishing the last of the major work on phase 1.

"Temporary striping was completed on Saturday, and we expect the traffic signals to start in a test mode, where we'll be working on the timing and sequencing," he said.

Permanent striping will be applied in spring 2006 when the temperatures allow for the standard pavement markings.

Phase 2 of the project, which is to run from County Road 335 to the intersection at Highway 34 and 72, was estimated to be completed in spring 2007. But in November, MoDOT rejected high bids for the second phase.

Project manager Eric Krapf cited the high price of asphalt as the reason for the high bids. MoDOT will rebid the project in the spring.

Phase 3, which is 1.5 miles east of the Highway 34/72 intersection, is planned for fiscal year 2008.

jfreeze@semissourian.com