Saturday, Feb. 04, 2012
I-49 update draws capacity audience
Allen Edmonds/Democrat Missourian
More than 100 interested citizens packed the Harrisonville Community Center Jan. 26 to hear Missouri Department of Transportation Matt Killion discuss the various upgrades ongoing throughout Cass County in preparation for the renaming of U.S. 71 to Interstate 49.
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By Allen Edmonds, The Democrat Missourian
More than 100 area citizens packed a conference room at the Harrisonville Community Center Jan. 26 to hear a status report and question engineers on the conversion of U.S. 71 to Interstate 49.
Though billed as an opportunity to discuss future economic development along the corridor, residents – particularly those from south of Harrisonville in Cass County – seemed more concerned with the immediate hardships being caused by the removal of at-grade crossings at 327th Street, 307th Street and 283rd Street. The crossings at 283rd and 327th will be replaced by bridges over the highway, while the crossing at 307th is being built as a full interchange.
It is those construction projects that create struggles for many residents in those areas, with what they described as lengthy detours and dangerous temporary highway access points.
Missouri Department of Transportation Area Engineer Matt Killion, along with several other MoDOT representatives, assured residents they would do their best to make adjustments where possible to mitigate the danger. But, they said, the temporary detours represented the best that could be done for the duration of the project.
The three new overpasses are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012.
Gary Mallory, president of the Cass County Corporation for Economic Development, said the subject of I-49’s impact on the local economy will be addressed in due time.
"We’ll get to that in another meeting. I think it was fine – these people needed a chance to vent, and I can understand that," he said.
"Safety throughout this project is everyone’s main concern, and there were some valid issues brought up tonight."
This week, MoDOT announced construction of a turn lane at the temporary crossing at 299th Street, which will close various lanes and shoulders at times on both southbound and northbound U.S. 71 between 289th and 327th streets from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Feb. 11.
In addition, the agency said, a project to install new I-49 signs is beginning along the highway’s route in Missouri from McDonald County to Interstate 435 in Kansas City, MoDOT announced.
The signing project will require additional lane closings at times where the work is taking place throughout McDonald, Newton, Jasper, Barton, Vernon, Bates, Cass and southern Jackson counties.
In some areas, the agency said, workers may not have to close a lane, but will be set up on the shoulder close to traffic, and several crews may be working along different stretches of the 180-mile long corridor at any given time.
About 1,200 signs are being put up, including large and small signs off the shoulders of the highway, overhead signs mounted on trusses and reference markers and other signs.
Signs with the I-49 shield will be covered or turned away from view until MoDOT receives final approval from the Federal Highway Administration for the I-49 designation.
The project is part of a broader effort by Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri to complete I-49 from New Orleans to Kansas City.
Future plans are also under way to improve the 155th Street interchange in Belton. That project, along with a proposed new interchange at 211th Street in Peculiar, has yet to be funded.
Harrisonville is also working with the state and county to study a proposed interchange at Rock Haven Road. Meanwhile, design has begun on a reconfiguration project at the M-291 Highway interchange in Harrisonville, which will be funded in part by a transportation development district. The M-291 project will begin in the next year.
In Peculiar, MoDOT will close the State Route J and C overpass at U.S. 71 in July to redeck the structure and add a sidewalk. Ramps will remain open.
The $1.1 million project will open before school begins in mid-August.
Mallory said a burst of economic activity should begin shortly after the opening of the renamed I-49.
"Once you have interstate status, that’s what a lot of big businesses are looking for. And for those that might own property near any of these interchanges that might be willing to sell, or are being approached by any of these entities, we’re here to help," Mallory said.
