LETTERS: HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT ISN'T LISTENING

To the editor:

How unbelievable is the Missouri Department of Transportation? On Nov. 10 the 15-year road plan was supposedly scrapped because of mismanagement and lack of funds. Since that date, MoDOT is still spending money on the proposed four-lane divided highway south of the existing Highway 74 from I-55 to Blomeyer. How much sense does that make? Can you imagine the excessive cost for fill dirt required for putting this proposed road through flood land? At a cost of $65 million, don't we have a more sensible solution? Yes. But MoDOT is not interested in listening.

It was proposed to MoDOT as early as March 1994 to extend Nash Road (Route AB) from the Biokyowa plant to Blomeyer Junction. But I was informed Oct. 29 that wasn't an option. Why not? MoDOT's reasons:

1. There are several locations for potential hazardous-waste sites along the proposed extension.

If that is the case, then those sites need to be cleaned up immediately.

2. The improvement of Route AB would not eliminate the need for some safety improvements along Highway 74, nor would it eliminate the potential need for Highway 74 to be upgraded to a four-lane highway. In addition, the Highway 74-U.S. 61 interchange on I-55 is still in need of improvements.

What safety improvements are needed along Highway 74? Only a few short years ago -- in 1996 -- the road was widened and shoulders were added at a cost of $1.2 million, making it a much safer road.

3. When looking at these improvements from a systemwide viewpoint, the improvement of Route AB creates a duplicate facility.

How does an improvement of Route AB create a duplicate facility any more than the proposed four-land divided Highway 74? At least it would benefit those vehicles coming from the west wanting to go east to the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority or north or south on I-55, not to mention people who work at the Nash Road complex.

As to improvements needed at the Highway 74-U.S. 61 interchange on I-55, how many mistakes is MoDOT allowed to make before someone or something is able to stop them and say enough is enough. Now they want to repair the huge blunder at the Highway 74 interchange. Has anyone noticed where the northbound I-55 entrance lanes are located? Motorists have a terrible time getting through that maze.

MoDOT has spent more money redoing the Route K interchange. Now MoDOT is working on the Center Junction interchange on U.S. 61 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson. Also in the works is a redo of the Nash Road interchange. I think MoDOT's record shows it has made some big mistakes in the past. So why let the highway department make another mistake by building a four-lane divided Highway 74 when an extension of Route AB would make better sense?

Think about it. Is this the way we want our fuel-tax dollars spent?

ROXIE LINDSAY

Cape Girardeau