Council votes to apply for federal grant funding for Highway 67 South

Nearly $25 million in federal funding could help complete a large stretch of Highway 67 South improvements.

The Poplar Bluff City Council voted Wednesday to apply for the U.S. Department of Transportation money, which has a maximum award of $25 million, and hope to learn the results in the fall.

The money would be the single largest grant for the cost share effort, which is being paid for by a Poplar Bluff city sales tax, as well as state and federal money.

“It’s going to take quite a few years, but this is a good start on it,” city manager Mark Massingham said Wednesday, of the funding and construction efforts.

The money would help pay for 4.5 miles of the 12-mile project.

It would come from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, program.

Massingham, Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce President Steve Halter and Bill Robison, of the Highway 67 Corporation, all traveled to Washington, D.C., in March to speak with federal representatives about the funds.

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), Rep. Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and Sen. John Boozman (R-Arkansas) have all been very positive about the project, Massingham said.

This would be the third phase of the project. The first two phases of the project have already secured grant money. These include the first two miles of four-lane south of Poplar Bluff.

The fourth and final phase has not been funded yet and would occur as money becomes available, Massingham said.

Improvements will be made to interstate standard as part of an effort to extend Interstate 57 from Chicago to Dallas.