HIGHWAY ACCORD STRESSED; ROAD PROMOTION

Key WordS: HIGHWAYS

JACKSON Departing Missouri Highway and Transportation Department District 10 Engineer Bob Sfreddo told members of the Tri-County Coalition for Highway Development Thursday to continue cooperative efforts to improve highways in Southeast Missouri.

Sfreddo will resign his Sikeston post Aug. 1 to become head of the state's design division. The highway engineer, who has spent 30 years with the department, is moving back to its Jefferson City headquarters, where he'll be responsible for roadway plan preparation for the nation's sixth largest state highway system.

He told members of the local highway group, which is made up of government and civic leaders from Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Scott counties, that the coalition's efforts will become more important should Missouri realize increased funding from a new federal highway law.

"We've come a long way down the road toward getting some additional funds for Missouri highways," Sfreddo said. "A bill has passed the Senate that we think will provide about $150 million more for Missouri.

"We also have gotten word that the House version of the bill might provide a little bit more."

Sfreddo said the five-year federal highway proposal would provide about $21 billion nationally in its first year and another $25 billion the following four years.

"The last four or five years we've been working with about $11 billion nationally, so this would about double what we've been getting," he said.

Sfreddo said the new bill is expected to repay Missouri for some of the highway tax deficit the state has accumulated since the national highway trust fund was established in 1956.

"Since 1956, when the trust fund was started, Missouri has been shortchanged about $750 million," he said. "We could've built a lot of roads for that money.

"There are still some inequities there that we feel need correcting, but we'll just have to keep hammering until we accomplish more."

Sfreddo said the coalition could play a key role in promoting unfunded Southeast Missouri highway projects should more funding become available.

He said the group also will be an important catalyst for garnering public support for a state gasoline tax increase to help match the additional federal funds.

"You've got to make known what you need and try to get it," he said. "That's what you folks are doing.

"If you get all this federal money, you're going to need state money to match it. We'll be looking at a tax increase of some kind."

Sfreddo said that unlike some areas of Missouri, experts believe that improved roads in Southeast Missouri would have a direct benefit on the region's economy.

"Now, in northern Missouri, I've been told things won't help, but additional highways will improve the economy of Southeast Missouri," he said.

"We're in this global competition and we've got to work together so we can be competitive with states and the world. Transportation will be a big part of that."

Sfreddo said there are several Southeast Missouri highway projects that are included in the state highway department's 10-year unfunded needs study. "Depending on how much money will be available, we'll be looking at bringing those projects in the program," he said.

The highway engineer also told the coalition that several major projects planned for the region are progressing.

He said Congress has selected three engineering firms to propose a feasibility study for the I-66 project, a coast-to-coast interstate highway that would traverse southern Missouri.

Another project, Cape Girardeau's new Mississippi River bridge, could be ready for construction within two years. He said the department could begin right-of-way acquisition for the $85 million to $90 million project next week.

"We think we can have a bridge design maybe within two years," Sfreddo said. "We think we can have right of way within two years.

"So, if we have the money, we can start construction in about two years."

He said the department this summer also will conduct origin-destination surveys in Southeast Missouri to better clarify the region's transportation needs.

"We want to see from Southeast Missouri where people are wanting to go," Sfreddo said. "How many people want to go northwest to Jefferson City and Kansas City.

"The notion of a connection between Southeast Missouri and Jefferson City is not dead."

As usual, the engineer said, the biggest drawback to new and better highways is a lack of resources to fund the projects.

"There's just so many needs and not enough to do it with," he said. "I hope when it comes time to look for some more revenue, we can get some public support" (for a tax increase).

Sfreddo has been district engineer at the department's Southeast Missouri office in Sikeston since 1987. In his new position, he will replace James F. Roberts, who is retiring.

Sfreddo joined the department in 1961, and has worked as a highway design engineer, district chief designer and field liaison engineer for location and design.