A $25 million grant could help fund phase 3 of a Highway 67 south expansion, according to city officials who met Thursday and will meet again Friday to discuss the matter.
The Highway 67 Corporation discussed letters of support from area elected officials and businesses during a meeting Thursday at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area of Chamber of Commerce.
A special city council meeting will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at the city council chambers in the Black River Coliseum. The council is expected to vote to move forward with the grant application.
“I think the meeting (Thursday) provided an update of the status of 67 south,” said Bill Robison, chairperson of the Highway 67 Corporation. “It was good to hear from MoDOT where they are in the process for phase 1 and phase 2.
“It was really good news to hear some discussions about project readiness and getting the rest of the corridor in position, to have plans on the shelf for future money that might come down.”
The phase 3 grant would come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program. An additional approximately $9 million would be committed in local funds to match federal dollars, said Robison.
Phase 3 would encompass just under 4 miles of the 12-mile project.
The project will build Highway 67 south to the Arkansas border to interstate standards, as a four-lane highway. It is part of a future Interstate 57 route.
A letter of support from members of the Highway 67 Corporation cites the improved safety that is expected from these upgrades, including reducing the number of traffic fatalities. It will help enhance system linkage on a national scale, they report.
Locally, Nortek Distribution System shared with federal leaders that the company is very reliant on sound infrastructure.
“If we can’t get our product safely and efficiently distributed throughout the United States, we will lose business,” wrote plant manager Randy Clark. “Several years ago, our distribution and manufacturing operations moved out of the area, causing hundreds of Missouri citizens to lose their jobs to Mexico.”
The highway improvements in this region in the last several years, including Highway 67 north improvements, played a major part in the decision to bring distribution operations back to Poplar Bluff in 2015, he said.
The company currently employs 120 people, with an annual payroll of more than $3.7 million and the continued work is vitally important to the company, he said.
Phases 1 and 2 are funded, covering approximately four miles of the project. Funding comes from local, state and federal dollars.
Construction of phase 1 would be complete by 2024, under current project timelines, which have faced some delays due to funding disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city expects to spend about $2.6 million on property acquisition for phases 1A and 1B. Construction is estimated to cost $10.7 million. Another approximately $2.4 million will be spent on engineering and other expenses.
Expenses will be split between the city (50%), Missouri Department of Transportation’s Southeast District (13%), and MoDOT (37%). The city’s portion of the cost is paid for through a sales tax.
Efforts are also being made to fund phase 4, with the Missouri Department of Transportation agreeing to complete environmental work for the final section, Robison said.
Another 42 miles of road will also need to be upgraded in Arkansas to make the final I-57 connection between Butler County and Little Rock, Arkansas.
While the Arkansas route has not been confirmed, plans are underway to complete environmental studies by late this year or early 2022, Robison said.
“They’re hoping some of the projects begin to get added into their highway program with the passage of the (statewide) sales tax last year,” Robison said.