© 2024 KRCU Public Radio
90.9 Cape Girardeau | 88.9-HD Ste. Genevieve | 88.7 Poplar Bluff
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Cape Girardeau Adds New Bike Trails And High-Tech Traffic Signals

Brian Holt
/
MoDOT
KRCU_2012_11_22_BikeTrails_WRAP1.mp3
{description}

The city of Cape Girardeau is working with MoDot to make it easier for pedestrians and bikers to get around. The city will soon have a new bike trail and sidewalk system along Route K.

The new trails will enhance the already existing recreation trails along La Croix creek and bring cyclists near west Cape attraction like the mall and other retailers.

Brian Holt is a Resident Engineer for MoDOT. He says the new trail is for bicyclists and pedestrians.

“It starts right there at Schnucks, we are going to put a pedestrian bridge across La Croix Creek that will tie into the existing trail and then from there it will go along Route K all the way to Mount Auburn,” Holt said.

Construction has already began for the project. Holt anticipate the project will be complete by next summer.

---

Drivers should hit fewer red lights on Route K and Hwy 74 in Cape Girardeau over the new few months.

New technology will create a “green light corridor” on Cape Girardeau’s west side.

The system will have computers and cameras that will read data and send information from one signal to the next. That means fewer stops for drivers and quicker turns at intersections.

Brian Holt is a MoDOTs Resident Engineer. He says traffic signals have already been installed along Route K that will start to collect data over the next few weeks.

“Most of the noticeable benefits will be noticed during off hours,” Holt said. “During regular peak hours traffic is so heavy you’re not going to see as much improvement there but you'll see more improvement during off peak hours.”

Holt says the new technology will run from Siemers Drive to Broadview.

Highway 74 starts installing the new systems next week.

Although the traffic signals won’t help with Black Friday traffic, Holt says they will be operational by mid-December before Christmas.

The total cost of both projects together is a little over $1 million. It’s funded by federal dollars administered by the state of Missouri.

Samantha Powers was a student web coordinator for KRCU in 2012-2013.