A public comment period will be open until Feb. 17 on the second phase of upgrades to Highway 67 south as part of a future Interstate 57 project.
The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold a virtual meeting from 4-6 p.m. Feb. 3 to discuss the planned work.
Interstate upgrades are planned from the Route 160/158 interchange south of Poplar Bluff to the Arkansas border, and are broken into five phases.
The second phase would include expanding a two-mile section between County Road 338 and County Road 352 to four lanes, according to MoDOT.
“The same presentation will be delivered at both 4 and 5 p.m. to provide attendees with multiple opportunities to join the discussion,” MoDOT reported. “Throughout the online hearing, there will be opportunities for attendees to ask questions or share comments. Attendees can join the virtual public hearing on Feb. 3 by visiting www.modot.org/futureI57.”
Phases 1A, 1B and 2 are funded. Phases 3 and 4 are not yet funded.
Bids will be let for the first four miles of construction in May and November, according to MoDOT. Work is underway to acquire right of way for the first mile, while a value engineering study is scheduled for miles 3 and 4.
The estimated $15.7 million in work on phases 1A and 1B will take place between Highway 160 and Butler County Road 338.
Phase 1A received funding through Gov. Mike Parson’s cost-share program. Phases 1B and 2 were funded thanks to a cost-share between MoDOT and the city of Poplar Bluff. This was made possible after Poplar Bluff voters approved a ballot measure led by the Highway 67 Corporation to help fund the expansion in August 2019.
Construction of phases 1A and 1B, the first two miles, will still be underway when construction begins on miles 3 and 4, engineers have said.
For more information, contact MoDOT Project Manager Tim Pickett at 573-472-9003 or Area Engineer David Wyman at 573-380-2913.