HANNIBAL – In the summer of 2018, U.S. 61/McMaster’s Avenue will be resurfaced and several sidewalk, curb, driveway entrance and intersection improvements will be done at the same time. To help area residents, businesses and drivers learn more about these improvements and the temporary impacts made during construction, the Missouri Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, July 25 at the MoDOT District Office, 1711 S. Highway 61, Hannibal. Staff will be available to explain the work using displays and answer questions from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and a 15-minute formal presentation will be given at 5 p.m.
The most noted impact, as a whole, will be the traffic shifts and the temporary inability to make left turns in the section between Stardust Drive/Pirate Pride Drive and the U.S. 61/I-72 interchange. “The resurfacing part of the project is relatively straightforward, but it’s the additional improvements that will create impacts to area residents, businesses and drivers,” said Brian Haeffner, MoDOT area engineer. “Also, there will be improvements made at the U.S. 61/Stardust Drive/Pirate Pride Drive intersection, and this area will be inaccessible between June 18 and August 6, 2018,” he added.
U.S. 61 from the crossover just north of the Missouri Route 168 intersection to Warren Barrett Drive on the south end of Hannibal will be resurfaced. “All driveway entrances on the east side between U.S. 61/Stardust Drive/Pirate Pride Drive and the U.S. 61/I-72 interchange will be upgraded to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, as will the sidewalks,” he noted. One welcomed addition will be new sidewalks from Commerce Bank to Long John Silvers on the west side of McMaster’s Avenue. “This was an opportunity to create a safer movement for pedestrians who regularly walk along the road,” Haeffner said.
MoDOT is working with businesses and area residents who will be directly impacted by the work, which is expected to take up to six months to complete. Contractors will submit bids in
December, and work will begin sometime next spring. “We expect most of the work to take place over night, which will be safer for workers and drivers,” Haeffner said. The estimated cost of the project is $6.5 million.
“About 26,000 vehicles travel along this stretch of road, and while there is not an estimate on the number of pedestrians who use the sidewalk system, with the schools and businesses on opposite sides, it is frequently used,” he noted.
Even though the project won’t begin until next spring, those interested in staying informed can subscribe to the e-update service provided by MoDOT online at www.modot.org under the Travelers tab.