ROUTE K SURFACED; FIRST TIME SINCE HIGHWAY REBUILT IN 1976

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission has awarded a contract for the resurfacing of Route K from Cape Girardeau to Gordonville.

The project marks the first major improvements on the road since it was built 15 years ago.

Jerry Masterson, design engineer for the highway department's District 10 office in Sikeston, said the project includes almost five miles of resurfacing, shoulder improvements, and widening of the Highway 25 intersection in Gordonville.

Bob Sfreddo, the department's southeast district engineer, said a $777,473 construction contract was awarded Friday to Girardeau Contractors Inc. of Cape Girardeau.

Construction is expected to begin in the spring and the project should be completed by Oct. 1.

Bob Wilson, the department's resident engineer in Jackson, said the highway commission approved the resurfacing project in response to increased traffic volume on the route.

"I would imagine that it has gotten more traffic than originally projected when the highway was built," Wilson said. "And we're projecting a pretty good growth in that direction in the future."

The surface work will involve application of an asphalt base with one and a quarter inches of asphalt overlay. The Highway 25 widening will involve construction of a left-turn lane for southbound motorists seeking to turn east onto Route K.

"I would say that the increased traffic volume merits the addition of the left-turn lane," Wilson said.

He said the project's contractor also will construct asphalt shoulders, replacing the current, gravel shoulders on Route K.

Masterson said traffic volume on Route K justifies the asphalt shoulders. He said the improvements will help make the road safer for motorists.

"Also, we'll give a weather treatment to one bridge deck," Wilson added. "That's basically to weather-proof the bridge, which will help to extend the life of the bridge deck.

"On the bridge deck work, we will be limiting traffic to one lane while we are working on that."

Funding for the project is derived from Proposition A that was approved by Missouri voters in 1987 to pay for highway improvements and bridge replacements.

Masterson said the Route K project is a good example of Proposition A dollars at work in the Cape Girardeau area.

"We've been very busy in that area the last couple years," he said. "There's no question (Proposition A) dollars are being used in the Cape Girardeau area."

Masterson said other recent state projects in the area include widening and resurfacing of Highway 61 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson; improvements to Highway 34 west of Jackson, including replacement of a bridge on the route; widening of the Interstate 55 Diversion Channel bridge south of Cape Girardeau; construction of an acceleration lane at the Highway 74 and I-55 interchange; widening of the I-55 Ramsey Creek bridge near Scott City; and widening of the William Street/Kingshighway intersection.

Route K from Interstate 55 to Gordonville was reconstructed in 1976.

The new highway followed the basic alignment of an older road, but included construction of four new bridges and the straightening of several curves in the route.