Area residents complain of highway problems at town hall meeting

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, speaks during a town hall meetin g in Campbell Thursday, Aug. 21. The meeting was to discuss transportation and other needs in Southeast Missouri and was h [Click to enlarge]

A town hall meeting put together by state Rep. Otto Bean of Holcomb, Mo., to discuss road conditions and rural investment in Southeast Missouri was held Thursday afternoon at the community center in Campbell, Mo.

"I have a lot of optimism for the future of Southeast Missouri," Bean told those in attendance.

The meeting was to give area residents an opportunity to talk to elected and other officials. One particular concern was Highway 53.

Campbell businessman Lloyd Miller, got a round of applause from the audience, when he angrily complained about the condition of the narrow, deteriorated two-lane Highway 53 roadway from Campbell to Qulin.

"The big thing that concerns us is Highway 53. This is important to us, we run over it every day," Miller said. "We know you've got problems, and this may not be a big problem to you, but is to us.

Miller said the just-completed paving of two-feet of the shoulders along the roadway is praiseworthy, but is not the solution to the problem. "The little bit you do now is not much, it's like putting a band-aid on a wound. We ask you give it some serious consideration. We know it's a tight squeeze, but this is a stretch of less than 15 miles."

He promised, "We're not going to quit complaining."

"There's no question Highway 53 is heavily traveled from Holcomb to Campbell, and especially from Campbell to Qulin. You're talking to the right people," Bean said.

Elected officials and those from the Missouri Department of Transportation had an opportunity to make a statement and answer any questions directed to them.

U.S. Rep. JoAnn Emerson told the group she was there because she is committed to the communities and needs of her district.

"It is most important as an elected representative to help provide a foundation for communities to grow and our children to stay," Emerson said. The foundation for that environment is a good infrastructure, highways, bridges, airport. Businesses look for good infrastructure system, she said.

"Our goal in 8th district is create an environment for growth of our communities, level the playing field so as to not get the short end of the stick in state funds and federal funds," she added.

Emerson said the Senate has put about $20 billion more in its version of the highway bill before Congress than the House. That difference between the two bills will have to be ironed out.

"The question is will we have enough funds, or do we need other things, such as increasing the federal gas tax?" she said.

The highway bill, which provides federal funds to states for highway and other transportation needs, will be up in the air until legislators are back in Washington after Labor Day.

Tom Shulte, representing Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond said the state and nation are facing many challenges.

"Your problems may not get resolved tomorrow, but you've got to keep on working," he said. "Senator Bond and Congresswoman Emerson have kept pecking away at problems and have made gains, a little at a time."

One success had been increasing the state's share of the federal tax on fuel. At one point the state was getting back only 88 cents for each dollar sent to Washington. That has been increased to around 93 cents, and Sen. Bond, who is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee is hopeful of getting that increased, Shulte said.

Jeff Glenn, representing Sen. Jim Talent, spoke of the Senator's proposed Building America Bond program to raise money for the nation's road.

"This would generate estimated $50 billion over three years, with one-half to $1 billion to Missouri," he said. "This money would be over and above what the state would get from the federal highway bill.

While the primary market for the bonds would be financial institutions, ordinary citizens would also be able to buy the bond. Rather than receiving interest, investors would receive credits on their federal income taxes.

"An estimated $1 billion infrastructure improvement would generate 47,500 new jobs.

Duane Michie, Hayti, Mo., a member of the state highway commission said the Missouri Department of Transportation "has some fine people who will work with us toward solving problems. They can't solve all of them, because money is the issue."

Michie said during the period 1975-1979 on average 15 percent of state revenue was spent on transportation. Today state is spending 7 percent for transportation.

He told the crowd that after the failure of prop B last August, the highway commission looked at similar issues put before voters. He said the study indicated the issues that failed had no local input in projects.

Michie said there is a plan to set aside $100 million and create a flex-fund; then solicit input within districts on how and where the district's share will be spent.

"The flex fund will kick in 2007. You can be a part of the decision making process if you want to be," he told those present.

In response to a question by Dr. Karen Feasor, on plans for Highway 53 and by Mayor MaryLou Bearden of Malden on Highway 25 from Kennett to Bernie, Scott Meyers, district engineer for MoDOT said neither road is on the agency's major resurfacing list.

Meyers said there is no plan for major resurfacing of Highway 53 in current the two year plan, but would be among roads looked at for resurfacing work three years from now. Highway 25 would be another road that would be looked at, he said.

Meyers said the problem is "There are a lot of road needs, but not enough money to address it."

The district has money for about 18 miles of resurfacing work a year, while there are 800 miles of roads in need within the district.