JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Improvements to Highway 34 and 12 other Southeast Missouri road and bridge projects have been shelved indefinitely as the state Department of Transportation scales back on long-range planning in favor of addressing more immediate needs.

Scott Meyer, MoDOT's district engineer for Southeast Missouri, said financial reality forced the projects to be put on hold.

"It is really a matter of money and managing our resources," Meyer said.

Although the department had been gearing up to build more major projects in hopes of receiving a major infusion of new revenue, voter rejection of the Proposition B tax package last month led MoDOT to re-evaluate its priorities.

MoDOT has eliminated funding for design and right-of-way acquisition for more than 300 long-range projects statewide. Department director Henry Hungerbeeler said the move frees up $120 million that can be applied to more pressing needs.

"The money we save will be put to good use repairing our worn-out highways, which provides an immediate benefit to motorists," Hungerbeeler said.

However, none of the projects in MoDOT's current five-year construction program have been eliminated.

The Highway 34 project called for replacing bridges and widening that route in Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Wayne counties. Also shelved was a similar upgrade to Highway 72 from Fredericktown to the Cape Girardeau County line.

A redesign of Highway 34/72 through Jackson is part of MoDOT's existing five-year plan and remains on track.

While providing short-term savings, the department's move away from long-range planning will mean fewer major projects. It typically takes MoDOT five to seven years -- but sometimes a decade or more -- to move a project from the design phase to being ready for construction.

Since construction can go forward only when funds are available, Meyer said stretching out the preliminary work on projects was prudent.

"It is not going to have a huge effect, and it will allow us to accelerate some other work," Meyer said.

Artificially inflated in recent years through the sale of bonds, MoDOT has boasted a $1.4 billion annual construction program. That spending level will soon drop substantially to $750 million a year.

mpowers@semissourian.com

(573) 635-4608

MISSOURI ROADBLOCKS

Long-term construction projects in Southeast Missouri that the Missouri Department of Transportation has shelved due to lack of funding:

Route:U.S. 72

Counties:Bollinger, Madison

Project:Bridge replacements, widen and resurface road from Madison County to Cape Girardeau County line.

Route:Highway 53

Counties:Butler, Dunklin

Project:Resurface and replace shoulders from Highway 51 to U.S. 62.

Route:U.S. 60

County:Butler

Project:Interchange improvements at U.S. 67.

Route:Route PP

County:Butler

Project:Widen and resurface west of relocated U.S. 67.

Route:Highway 34

Counties:Cape Girardeau, Wayne

Project:Bridge replacements, widen and resurface in Cape Girardeau County plus grading and paving in Wayne County from Piedmont to Route N.

Route:U.S. 412

County:Dunklin

Project:Grading and paving to add lanes for a four-lane highway from Route Z to Pemiscot County line.

Route:U.S. 67

County:Madison

Project:Resurface and replace shoulders from north of Route A to Wayne County line.

Route:Highway 80

County:Mississippi

Project:Shoulder, drainage and guardrail improvements from Route B to Highway 102.

Route:I-155

County:Pemiscot

Project:Seismic study 11 miles south of I-55 at Caruthersville.

Route:Route A

County:Scott

Project:Bridge replacement.

Route:Route W

County:Scott

Project:Bridge replacement.

Route:Route V

County:St. Francois

Project:Widen and resurface with partial relocation of Route W intersection.

Route:Route W

County:St. Francois

Project:Widen and resurface from U.S. 67 to Route V.