Daily American Republic

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Five members of the Missouri House interim transportation committee came to Poplar Bluff to listen Tuesday and they heard plenty from those who want Highway 67 four-laned as soon as possible.

"We learned U.S. 67 is very important to this community," said Rep. Neal St. Onge of Ballwin, who was making his first visit to Poplar Bluff.

The committee chairman commended Poplar Bluff and chamber of commerce leaders for their "exciting and innovative ideas." Nine local leaders and two officials from the Missouri Department of Transportation were among those giving testimony on a variety of issues.

"MoDOT said there are some things we can do in the legislature to cut out some of the bureaucracy. I hope we can make it happen. Highway 67 is an important issue for the whole region," said St. Onge, who noted the importance of expanding U.S. 67 to benefit local companies like NORDYNE and Briggs & Stratton.

"We have to start restoring the faith of our people in the transportation system," St. Onge said.

Scott Faughn, president of the Highway 67 Corporation and chairman of the Highway 67 Coalition, testified the corporation will seek a half-cent sales tax increase in Poplar Bluff to raise local funds that will be matched by MoDOT for four-laning 50 miles of U.S. 67 from north of Poplar Bluff to south of Fredericktown.

Faughn asked the committee to consider changing the formula so less local funds would need to be raised and to help secure a lower interest rate on the issuance of bonds to cover construction costs. The half-cent sales tax revenue will be used to repay the bonds.

"We need your help in utilizing state infrastructure money," said Faughn, also chamber executive vice president.

He also informed the committee that Highway 67 Corporation members will be going to Washington, D.C., next week and will meet with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission in Kansas City on Dec. 10.

Faughn presented committee members with a copy of the corporation's application to the commission. Favorable action by the commission will hopefully lead to a negotiated contract with MoDOT to proceed with the project as soon as funding is secured.

"The application is the culmination of all our work for nearly two years," Faughn said.

Testifying how a four-lane U.S. 67 will encourage economic development were Poplar Bluff mayor Loyd Matthews; Charles Moffitt, president of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce; Greg Steffens, chairman of the chamber's transportation committee; Margaret Carter, a chamber transportation committee member; Greg Batson, Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission director; and Butler County commissioners Joe Humphrey and Robbie Myers.

They also discussed how a four-lane highway would reduce the number of fatal accidents on the winding, hilly two-lane road.

Matthews noted NORDYNE is adding 400 jobs and Briggs & Stratton will hire an additional 200 workers.

"Transportation in and out of Poplar Bluff is very important to industry," said Matthews, who also cited the need for a four-lane highway from Bypass 67 to the industrial park.

The chamber's transportation committee's first priority is four-laning 67 north of Poplar Bluff and the second priority is four-laning 67 to the Arkansas state line, according to Steffens. The committee also supports an eastbound exit ramp from Bypass 60 onto Business 60 on the east edge of Poplar Bluff and a four-lane bypass to the industrial park.

Frank Carroll of Harviell, a retired MoDOT engineer, testified Missouri's transportation future depends on a commission with a statewide vision, a professional Department of Transportation to implement the vision and a legislature to provide the nonpartisan leadership to make it happen.

"The missing component of the transportation system in Southeast Missouri is the completion of Route 67 to a four-lane facility from Fredericktown to the Arkansas line," Carroll said.

Wayne Gearhart of Pocahontas, Ark., a Highway 67 Coalition member and Randolph County Chamber of Commerce executive vice president, testified how the Arkansas Transportation Department continues to extend four-lane U.S. 67 northeasterly from Newport.

Others testifying were MoDOT Chief Engineer Kevin Keith, MHTC Commissioner Duane Michie, Cape Girardeau Transportation Systems Director Jeff Brune and Southeast Missouri Transportation Systems Director Bill Osbourne.

Questions were asked by St. Onge, four other committee members, Rep. Brian Munzlinger of Williamstown, Rep. John Quinn of Chillicothe, Rep. Wayne Henke of Troy and Rep. Charles Schlottach of Owensville, who is vice chairman of the regular House Transportation Committee. Robert Triplett, a House Research Analyst on transportation issues, also participated.

The interim committee also will meet Dec. 3 in the Kansas City area and in mid-December in Northeast Missouri.