I-57 projects see progress in Arkansas

The Highway 67 Corporation, political and business leaders listened to positive updates on area highways Friday at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce

Bill Robison, chairman of the corporation, introduced David Mann of the East Arkansas Good Roads Association, who talked to the group by telephone.

“We had a great development,” Mann said, “In November of 2020, our state’s voters passed or renewed a one-half cent sales tax for highways, and what that will do is it’ll bring in $1.8 billion over 10 years, strictly for capital improvement projects.

“This kind of dovetails with some other stuff that the legislature had done in the spring. That sets aside a lot of money to take care of rebuilding bridges and maintaining the system,” Robison said. “So this $1.8 billion, is strictly for capital and private projects. For projects, like Interstate 57.”

Mann explained “the highway department put together a 20-year capital improvement plan, and in that plan is $180 million. It’s honestly, hard to fathom. Just four or five years ago it looked like this thing was completely dead and there would be no interstate at all. So to go from where we were to where we are today... In addition to that, we also already have $30 million in the State Transportation Improvement Program to support a three-year program.”

Mann plans “to look for opportunities to leverage federal dollars to make that go further. One of the key milestones that will help us is the completion of the environmental impact statement. Right now, it looks like that will be wrapped up at the end of this year or early next year. We’ve got somewhere in the neighborhood of nine to 12 months and we will have a record of decision. It’s amazing, just looking back a few years and how much has changed and I think we have to really give credit where it’s due, and that is the teamwork, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.”

David Wyman of the Missouri Department of Transportation discussed several things that are going on. He discussed projects in the Poplar Bluff area as well as the impact Sikeston is making on I-57 projects.

Along Highway 67, Wyman explained, MoDOT is studying the Highway 160 interchange, as well as property that may be purchased. They are having areas appraised and are working with people whose property and lives may be impacted by the road improvements, he said.

Felecia Blanton represented the city of Sikeston, while Crystal Bishop was there for the city of Dexter and Alisha Trammell represented the Dexter Chamber of Commerce.

Also attending were Madison Baker of U.S. Senator Roy Blunt’s staff, Mike Schoelhammer and Heath Robins, who were representing Congressman Jason Smith, and Matt Bain of Senator Josh Hawley’s staff.

Robison explained the meeting was an opportunity for each of the communities to have a voice in what the Highway 67 group is doing, as well as learn about what is going on in Arkansas.

He thanked State Sen. Jason Bean of the 25th district, and State Reps. Hardy Billington and Darrell Atchison for “all you do for us.”

Robison said it is good to get updates from the different organizations here and on the state and federal levels.

He praised the support of Blunt, Hawley and Smith, and the state officials who “make this a priority.”