SIKESTON — The overpass under construction near South Ingram Road in Sikeston is part of plans to upgrade Highway 60 to Interstate 57.
In 2017, the United States Congress designated Highway 60 from Sikeston to Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and Highway 67 south from Poplar Bluff to Little Rock, Arkansas, as the future I-57.
The city of Sikeston, according to City Manager Jonathan Douglass, wholeheartedly supports the designation and projects to upgrade needed segments of the road to an interstate.
Douglass said the Ingram overpass is a joint city and Missouri Department of Transportation, or MoDOT, project. Between Sikeston and Poplar Bluff, at-grade crossings (intersections) also need to be replaced with interchanges and outside roads, and the highway in south Poplar Bluff needs to be upgraded from two to four lanes, he said.
“All of those improvements are necessary before Highway 60 can be given the official ‘Interstate 57’ designation,” Douglass said.
Several years ago, with MoDOT’s technical assistance, the city purchased the land required to create an interchange (overpass and on/off ramps) at Ingram Road and Highway 60, Douglass said.
The city received a Governor’s Cost Share grant for $2 million of the $4 million needed to build the overpass. The Matthews and Boyer families also donated land for the outer road that connects Highway 61 (South Main Street) to the new overpass.
“The city of Sikeston and New Madrid County have partnered to build that outer road. MoDOT has begun construction on the overpass, and it is projected to be completed later in 2024,” Douglass said.
MoDOT, according to Douglass, is now conducting a traffic study to investigate potential upgrades needed to allow access to future I-57 from I-55 in Sikeston to just west of Morehouse, Missouri.
“That study will determine whether we can proceed with the on/off ramps at Ingram Road, which were previously supported by MoDOT,” Douglass said.
The city of Sikeston, according to Douglass, also supports interchanges on Highway 60/future I-57 at Ingram Road in Sikeston, near Route BB/FF in New Madrid County and near Morehouse.
“The interchange at Ingram Road is needed immediately, and other interchanges will be needed later, once Highway 60 is upgraded to Interstate 57 and existing at-grade crossings are closed,” Douglass said.
Douglass said making Highway 60 an interstate will create an expedited route from Chicago to Dallas, passing through southern Missouri and Little Rock.
“This will improve shipping and travel times and bring more commerce and vacation travel through Sikeston and Southeast Missouri,” Douglass said. “Sikeston’s status as a travel and business logistics hub will be enhanced.
Douglass continued: “Existing businesses in Sikeston will have better access to southern markets in the direction of Little Rock and Dallas. Safety will also be improved as at-grade crossings (intersections) on Highway 60 are replaced with interchanges (on/off ramps and overpasses/underpasses).”
According to Douglass, the addition of the overpass and, eventually, interchange at Ingram Road will allow greater access to commercial and residential land south of Highway 60. It will also provide another point of highway access for businesses such as Carlisle Construction Materials.
Douglass additionally highlighted how the interchange will benefit emergency services.
“The interchange will give emergency services coming from the south an alternate path into Sikeston if the 60/61 interchange near Walmart is ever blocked for any reason,” Douglass said.
The South Ingram overpass, as well as the outer road connecting it to Highway 61 (South Main), are expected to be completed later in 2024. Douglass said the outer road from the overpass to Highway 61 is a joint city of Sikeston and New Madrid County project.
Other improvements, including on/off ramps at Ingram and additional interchanges west of Sikeston, and improvements throughout the rest of the future I-57 corridor, will be dependent on MoDOT approvals and state and federal funding.