Construction on section of Hwy 24 set for spring

Janet Morales

What started out as a plan by MoDOT to do an overlay of existing pavement on Highway 24 East, has turned into a cooperative effort between that entity and the City of Moberly to provide safety and convenience to all who drive in the area.

“MoDOT was going to do an overlay in a couple of years, much like on Morley,” said Tom Sanders, director of Public Works and Community Development. “A request, along with funding from the City, made the work happen sooner and expanded the scope by adding the intersection improvements and full third turn lane.”

Traffic slows during the busiest times of the day on that section of Highway 24 as motorists wait for those making left turns. A third lane will be alleviate this problem and cut down on auto accidents.

The new turn lane “will be a continuous third lane from essentially the overpass near Art’s (Art’s Furniture and Appliance) to Emerson,” said Sanders.

The part of the project that might add most to the safety of motorists is the realignment of Sparks Avenue. Sparks is often used as a short cut from South Morley to Highway 24. But the street is angled in such a way as to hinder visibility to oncoming 24 traffic. The joint Highway 24 project will include straightening out Sparks to a 90 degree angle.

“The Sparks intersection was something we had looked at as a stand-alone project,” said Sanders. “Anyone that uses that for access to Highway 24 understands the poor angle it has. It is difficult to see and dangerous. It also is bad for the fact that it allows eastbound traffic to come off of Highway 24 at full speed, so often traffic running at 40-45 mph turns onto a narrow 25 mph road.”

Sanders said some right-of-way was acquired from adjacent homes and business but it was not extensive enough to require their relocation.

“There were actually very few right-of-way acquisitions required as the right-of-way along 24 is fairly wide. All of the acquisitions needed are for the expansion of turn lanes at intersections.”

Besides the turn lane and the changing of Sparks, work will include resurfacing and paved shoulders from Rt. JJ to east of Rt. 63; pavement widening and traffic signals/lighting from west of Emerson St. To east of Robertson Road, and diamond grinding of the road surface and installing asphalt shoulders from Rt. 3 near Huntsville to Rt. JJ.

MoDOT estimates the project at $2.5 million. Sanders said the City has found a variety of resources to help pay for the project.

“We utilized around $370,000 of federal funds that has been accruing for several years,” said Sanders. “The City of Moberly receives a little over $60,000 per year of this STP-U (Surface Transportation Urban Program) funding.”

Sanders said the City provided MoDOT with a short-term loan of $428,000 which will be repaid in less than 18 months. Also, Utilities is relocating water and sewer lines that “are in conflict” with the future construction.

What MoDOT terms a “cost share program” will allow work originally planned for the future to be completed this year.

At its February 4 meeting, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded the project to APAC – Missouri, Inc. of Columbia. Work on these projects will begin this spring.