Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) officials said Wednesday they plan to seek public comment in July on three options for reconfiguring Exit 93 along Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau.

A final report, detailing the approved concept, is due Dec. 1.

"I'm excited about the progress from our consultant," said Andrew L. Meyer, assistant engineer for MoDOT's Southeast District, referring to plans being formulated by the Kansas City office of Garver USA. "[Garver] is adding flesh to the bones and what's next is to show our ideas to the public."

Options

• Traditional diamond interchange with roundabouts at the ramps.
• Diverging diamond layout similar to U.S. 61 at Center Junction between Cape Girardeau and Jackson.
• "Folded" diamond concept with two standard long ramps as off-ramps and two loop ramps as on-ramps. This interchange type would not take land in every quadrant of the interchange.

A fourth option actually exists but is not being seriously contemplated, which is simply to build back new in the same present configuration.

Tim Pickett, MoDOT Exit 93 project manager, told the Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization that MoDOT and Garver USA are examining the initiative from several perspectives, including safety, traffic modeling, right-of-way conflicts and maintaining and improving the level of service.

"In terms of level of service, the current interchange, in my opinion, approaches a 'D' grade. After the project is complete, we want to get that up to an 'A' or a 'B' level," Pickett said.

A few years ago, MoDOT's plans centered on replacing a 1961-era bridge connecting southbound traffic on Kingshighway to I-55 or Highway 74 -- a span MoDOT called "in poor condition."

The bridge's traffic load has increased in the intervening years to more than 6,000 cars daily, with Pickett noting the agency has a "bigger picture" now than merely bridge replacement.

Tim Pickett, Missouri Department of Transportation project engineer for the Interstate 55 Exit 93 interchange project, speaks to stakeholders of Southeast Metropolitan Planning Organization on Wednesday at Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau. Pickett said three options for a new or refurbished interchange are being reviewed by MoDOT and the agency's consultant, Garver USA. To Pickett's left is SEMO Regional Planning Commission's Jeremy Tanz; to Pickett's right, in order, are, Dana Brune, Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce; Stacy Kinder, Cape Girardeau mayor; and Mandi Brink, executive director of SEMO Port.Jeff Long

Cost

Pickett said he anticipated the overall project -- bridge replacement and interchange construction -- could be put out to bid in July 2025, adding the total cost is estimated at $20 million to $25 million, with the bridge itself costing between $7 million and $8 million.

In a Dec. 2 public hearing at the Osage Centre, attendees were told proposed changes to the exit are part of MoDOT's Tier One and Tier Two plans -- plans made possible by the General Assembly's passage of a graduated state gasoline tax increase from 17 cents a gallon to 29.5 cents a gallon by July 2025.