CAMDEN COUNTY - At their monthly meeting on Feb. 4, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded a contract to begin another phase of grading work for the new U.S. Route 54 Expressway at the Lake of the Ozarks.

The contract will include grading for a new four-lane highway in Camden County for approximately 2.25 miles from the Grand Glaize Bridge to just east of Nichols Road, and for approximately 1.5 miles from just west of Route KK to the existing four-lane highway east of Route Y. Crews will also construct bridges at Jefferies Road and at Case Road. New service roadways will be constructed at locations along the project.

Dave Kolb Grading, Inc. of St. Charles, Mo. was awarded the project after submitting the lowest bid of $14,869,173.31. Grading work for this section of the new expressway will begin in spring 2009 and will be completed in late 2010. Paving of this section will begin in 2010.

The first $30 million section of the new expressway from the Grand Glaize Bridge to just east of Route 42 began in late 2007 and is currently underway.

When completed, the new U.S. Route 54 Expressway will improve safety and minimize congestion through the Lake area.

For more information about this project or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or log onto www.modot.org/central.