Shelby Road extension now open

Poplar Bluff opened the Shelby Road extension this morning after a ribbon cutting ceremony.

City and community leaders spoke before the first group of cars made the 2.5 mile trip from Kanell Boulevard to Highway 53.

Construction on the extension broke ground in September 2017.

The final cost will be approximately $10.52 million, according to officials.

All costs will be paid for by the Poplar Bluff Regional Transportation Development District.

Bond debt has been taken out under the PBRTDD to finance the entire project.

Payments will be made with money collected from a 1-cent transportation sales tax levied at more than 150 businesses in the Oak Grove Road, Kanell Boulevard and Westwood Boulevard areas. Payments are expected to continue through 2039 and 2046.

The PBRTDD was set up to fund a series of phase 1 and phase 2 transportation improvements.

The Shelby Road extension is the final phase 1 project.

Additional information from today’s ceremony will be available later today online and in the Daily American Republic.