CITIES STILL BACK I-55 JUNCTION PROPOSAL

Cape Girardeau and Jackson still support accelerated development of the Interstate 55-U.S. 61 interchange and are ready to put the plan into action.

However, the proposal for $5 million in improvements and development at the interchange known as Center Junction may have hit a bump along the road despite the support of both city governments and the Cape Girardeau County Commission.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has recommended changes that could hamper the development project for Cape Girardeau and Jackson. MoDOT will discuss the proposal during its meeting Friday in Cape Girardeau.

The cities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson and the Cape Girardeau County Commission adopted an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with developer Jim Drury earlier this year. On Monday, Cape Girardeau and Jackson both adopted resolutions in support of the development. The Cape Girardeau County Commission adopted a similar resolution Thursday.

The resolutions were necessary because the state needed more definitive support of the project, said Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III.Essentially, MoDOT didn't think the cities had issued a sufficient show of support with previous ordinances so another resolution was drafted, said City Attorney Eric Cunningham.

The resolutions show that both cities and the county are committed to the development corporation. Under that plan, Drury will exchange his land needed as right of way to move the northbound lanes south with any excess land owned by the highway department. The agreement was aimed at speeding up the improvements.

Under the agreement, Drury also will develop his property on all four sides of the intersection and will sign a $1 million letter of credit to pay the debt on the improvements until they begin generating tax revenues. But MoDOT has said it won't accept the agreement because exchanging land isn't acceptable. Instead, MoDOT will pay market value for the property Drury owns and then Drury will have to buy the excess land.

If the plan isn't approved, the intergovernmental corporation could go ahead with the project or go back to the developer and ask that he purchase the right of way. However, Drury has indicated that he wouldn't be willing to do so, Spradling said. Drury could not be reached to comment.

Jackson Mayor Paul Sander still has hopes the transportation corporation materializes. "It's a win-win-win situation for all the people involved," he said.