The Poplar Bluff City Council will once again apply for the RAISE grant to help fund construction on the future I-57 corridor and have reason to be optimistic about its chances this year.
The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant is part of the local, state and federal funding sources pursued by the council as Highway 67 is transformed into a four-lane highway.
“This’ll actually be the fourth year that we’re applying for this funding, but it is federal funding. It’s highly competitive. We want to be consistent with this funding source and we want to get this, grant submitted. But it’s a little different this year, there were some additional federal funds (added to the RAISE grant),” explained Bill Robison, chairman of the Highway 67 Corporation.
The Appropriations Act has raised the total amount of money in the RAISE grant to $800 million and increased the maximum amount cities can request to $45 million. Additionally, there are extra guidelines prioritizing rural projects, those in areas of persistent poverty and those containing historically disadvantaged communities. Robison is optimistic about Highway 67’s chances because “we meet all those boxes with this grant application.”
Since MoDOT is already handling the design and construction inspections, the amount the Highway 67 Corporation and the city can ask for is slightly reduced.
“There’s about $1.25 million of state money that would be part of the non-federal funds, so it’s 97% we are looking at, the maximum that we can ask for. We could’ve asked for 100% but with the MoDOT statement, it’s about a 97% ask,” he said.
“The inflation that we’re all dealing with, transportation is feeling that as well. So $45 million probably doesn’t get as much now as it would have last year.
The Highway 67 project is divided into three phases. According to MoDOT, phases 1A, 1B and 2 are already funded. Phase 1A was paid for through Gov. Mike Parson’s cost share program, and Phases 1B and 2 by a cost share between MoDOT and the City of Poplar Bluff. If awarded, the RAISE grant would fund Phase 3 of the I-57 corridor project.
“So Phase 1A is under construction. Phase 1B and Phase 2 will be awarded in May, we hope, depending on the bids, and this will be the continuation of the corridor. It will be a 3-mile piece that would get us down to about Highway 142 at Neelyville.”
The work at Highway 142 will include overpass construction and interchange improvements as well.
Robison and Ward 2 councilwoman Jerrica Fox both commented on the necessity of upgrading Highway 67 in the southern half of the county. They reported observing traffic backed up behind slower vehicles and Robison recalled counting six semis driving in a row this month.
He ended his presentation by thanking the City Council for its support.
“We appreciate the support that we’ve gotten from each one of you all over the years. There’s a lot of momentum right now, I think. I feel like we’ll see how the state-level legislative cycle goes, also at the federal level. We’re trying to do our part to keep this project on the front burner for a lot of folks.”
More information about Highway 67 construction can be found at modot.org/futureI57.