Funding for completion of Highway 67 south/Interstate 57 four-lane projects will be a priority in the next legislative session, elected officials said Monday.
Sen. Jason Bean of District 25, Rep. Hardy Billington of District 152 and Rep. Cameron Bunting Parker of District 150 spoke to members of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce during the group’s August luncheon.
Approximately $10 million had been secured from the state in the last legislative session, Billington shared, but was ultimately vetoed by the governor in favor of Interstate 70 funding.
“If we get the highway built, it will help everyone, not just the people in Poplar Bluff. It will help the whole corridor,” said Billington, who explained he spent five months working to get the funding included.
The project would help create a direct interstate connection between Chicago, Illinois, and Dallas, Texas, traveling through St. Louis, Poplar Bluff and Little Rock, Arkansas.
The citizens of Poplar Bluff have voted twice to support the expansion of Highway 67 to four lanes, Billington said.
When infrastructure cost-share programs are discussed in Jefferson City, Poplar Bluff is held up as the example, Bean shared. Its citizens are “innovators” and “pioneers,” he told the group.
Portions of the final stretch between Poplar Bluff south to the Arkansas state line have been fully funded with a mixture of local, state and federal funding, but not all funding has been secured.
“We’re going to come up with that $120 million to make (this) happen. Period,” Bean told the group, earlier sharing, “This is a war. We’re going to win the war. We just lost the battle.”
Bean praised the efforts of local leaders to date to ensure elected officials inside and outside of the region are aware of the benefits of the project. This included a trip to meet with elected officials in Jefferson City by former police chief Danny Whiteley, city manager Matt Winters, chamber President Steve Halter and Bill Robison, of the Highway 67 Corporation.
Officials shared other updates on the previous and upcoming sessions.
Legislation was passed to name areas south of St. Louis and in Southeast Missouri the Stars and Stripes Historic Region, Bean said. Bloomfield is the birthplace of the Stars and Stripes military newspaper, and this designation opens the door to additional tourism signage and grant funding.
Piedmont also now officially carries the title of UFO capital and Campbell, the Peach capital.
Bean shared he was proud to help pass legislation making it illegal for anyone, of any age to text and drive. Missouri was one of only two states that did not have an all-ages law, he said.
“It wasn’t an easy task” getting that passed, said Bean, who represents 10 total counties, including Butler and Stoddard. Ripley and Wayne counties were also added to his district during redistricting.
Billington said the community’s ability to come together is among what he loves about serving this region.
He spent last summer visiting all of the legislative districts in the state, after being named the House majority whip.
“(I’m setting the) table to get more things done for you,” Billington said, also talking of efforts to pass laws limiting gender transition surgeries among those under the age of 18 and the participation of transgender individuals in women’s sports.
Parker became a representative for the southwestern portion of Butler County during re-districting. She also represents Dunklin County and the southern portion of Pemiscot County.
Park said ensuring Southeast Missouri has a bigger footprint in the legislature was among her priorities going forward.
Investments in infrastructure and increases in mental health facilities were among the successes from the past legislative session, she said.
“Your voices help me shape how I’m going to vote on legislative issues,” she shared.