Missouri Highway Comminnion met in Caruthersville for monthly meeting. From Left, Commissioner Grace Nichols, Commissioner Rudy Farber, Vice Chairman Jim Anderson, Chairman Duane Michie, Commissioner Dave Gach, and Commissioner Mike Kehoe. (Staff photo by Amenda Alexander) [Click to enlarge]

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) commission held it's monthly meeting in Caruthersville on Wednesday to discuss area roadways.

Pete Rahn, Missouri Department of Transportation director was on hand for the meeting, as were speakers Stephen Duke, executive director of the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission, Dr. Tom Lawson, chairman of the 67 Corporation of Poplar Bluff, and David Madison of the Pemiscot County Port Authority.

Duke listed six strategicgoals for the Bootheel. The first goal being enhanced safety, stating that Missouri has reduced the number of highway fatalities by a significant amount over the past year. He also congratulated MoDOT for the improved safety features installed and constructed on the highways.

The second goal, is facilities improvement, making the Smoother, Safer, and Sooner Roadway programs a success on the major corridors in the Bootheel.

The third goal, intermodal connections consists of the Safe Routes to School Program for bicycles, pedestrians and transit facilities at the universities as well as the facilities provided at the schools in the smaller communities.

Goal four is the preservation of the environmental quality and the department's erosion control measures to protect the waterways in the Bootheel area.

The fifth goal is economic development which includes transportation costs, access to materials, access to markets and labor costs. Duke said the Bootheel Commission would support an initiative to include access roads to the river ports as a part of the State and National Highway system,

The last goal, partnerships with the state and MoDOT District 10 and others that will find solutions to improve the quality of life for the residents and the visitors in the Bootheel of Missouri.

"Southeast Missouri is fortunate to have four major north and south transportation corridors: The Mississippi River, I-55, BNSF Railroad and Route 67, two east/west corridors, I-57/Route 60 and Route 412 and also a regional north/south corridor Route 25 from Jackson to Kennett," Duke said.

Dr. Lawson commended MoDOT for the continued support they give to the Southeast Missouri Transportation Services, citizen transportation program.

Lawson continued saying that 1 out of 10 people in the 20 to 25 counties in this area use the SMTS van to go to the doctors or just to by groceries and 300 thousand, on an average, in one years time will use the services.

"My hat is off to the commission for getting the project done," Lawson said.

David Maddox with the Pemiscot County Port Authority (PCPA) told the commission, there are four business in the port, and the authorities is in the process of building a rail connection from Hayti to the PCPA to further transportation.

"We have a wonderful public and private partnership, with MoDOT and others," Maddox said.

After the meeting, in an interview with Rahn, it was learned that the corridor of 412 from Kennett to Arkansas is not on the major projects list for the next four years, but that US 67 from US 160 south of Poplar Bluff, Mo. to Arkansas state line, making it a four-lane expressway, is on the major projects list -- although the plans depend on the commitment from Arkansas.

Amenda Alexander, Daily Dunklin Democrat

aalexander@dddnews.com