Paving of eastbound lands of US 412 are nearly completed

An eight mile section of U.S. 412 has been paved and is expected to open to motorists by late September. [Click to enlarge]

Like a gray ribbon, reflecting the heat of the summer, sun, the newly paved eastbound lanes of U.S. 412 wend their way toward Hayti, Mo. The pavement is an eight mile stretch of U.S. 412 which has been completed, leaving only a short section of the roadway to be done.

"Paving of the eastbound lanes is done with the exception of a couple miles of shoulder work," said Brian Holt, resident engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

And, Holt had some welcome news for area motorists.

"We're looking at maybe the end of October to opening the lanes to traffic," he said.

Holt said the bridge over a drainage ditch west of Hayti Heights is nearly completed. Paving has bee completed to the bridge approach on the west end, and is progressing from the east side of the bridge toward the point where the road will turn south to bypass Hayti Heights and Hayti.

Paving work on the bypass is also in progress with the westbound lanes almost done up to the existing U.S. 412. Paving is ready to begin on the eastbound lanes to the railroad bridges.

Earlier this year construction contracts were let for five new bridges over the Floodway Ditches east of Kennett, as well as a box culvert and bridge over drainage ditches just east of Kennett. A contract was also let for grading and drainage work for new roadway.

Robertson Inc., Bridge and Grading Division, Poplar Bluff, Mo., is constructing the bridges over the Floodway Ditches under a $4,030,217 contract. Dumey Contracting, Inc., Benton, Mo., has a 42,285,716 contract to build a bridge and box culvert east of Kennett and grading and drainage to add two lanes of roadway from one-half mile west of Route Z in east Kennett to the Pemiscot County line. Construction of those projects is well under way and the work expected to be completed in late 2004.

In 2005 the final phase of the project to upgrade U.S. 412 from two to four lanes between Kennett and Hayti expected to be let as part of fiscal year 2006.

This would be the paving of an approximately 4 1/2 mile section of highway from Highway NN [Countyline Road] to the existing five lane roadway near the entrance of the Kennett Country Club.