Views vary on importance of widening Route 412

On August 5, Missouri voters decide on Constitutional Amendment 7, a three-quarters cent sales tax that is earmarked for transportation projects. The list of projects funded by the tax, and compiled by the Missouri Department of Transportation, includes the long hoped-for widening of U.S. Highway 412, from Kennett to the Arkansas state line. It is estimated to cost from $55 million to more than $60 million.

"MoDOT has been meeting regularly with a group, informally known as the Route 412 Coalition, for almost three years now," said District Engineer David Wyman. The meetings, held at the Kennett Chamber of Commerce, were chaired by 35th Circuit Court Judge H. Mark Preyer, himself a former Missouri Highway Commissioner. "We have been looking at different options for funding this project, and the group really seemed to like the model used by the City of Poplar Bluff, when Route 67 north of Poplar Bluff was built (in a cost-sharing effort between the state and the community). However, 412 is a little different, in that it greatly affects Kennett, Senath, Hornersville, Arbyrd and Cardwell. The leadership of those communities, and the leadership of Dunklin County, were all very unified in their support of a four-lane, divided highway from Kennett to Arkansas."

Views differ on the primary benefit that might be felt by a four-laned Highway 412. For Kennett Mayor Jake Crafton, it is economic. "I firmly believe that, once 412 is widened to a four-lane highway, it will bring more traffic through our community, which will foster commercial growth. Commercial business is great for our community, due to the benefits they provide, such as jobs, an improved quality of life for our citizens, and it allows the city of Kennett to provide additional services with the sales tax revenue generated by these commercial businesses."

Crafton adds that the city should prepare for that growth. "I still believe the city needs to pursue annexing additional land along Highway 412, to ensure there is plenty of land available to the City for growth. Annexing land is only one step. The other step would be investing in the required infrastructure--water, sewer, electric, gas--that would help facilitate business to this newly annexed land."

Only time will tell if widening Highway 412 will bring economic growth. One benefit likely would be seen immediately. "In the Commission's view, it's a safety issue for us," said Dunklin County Presiding Commissioner, Don Collins. "A lot of it is through traffic, but we've got Dunklin Countians who drive on it every day, so safety is the number one goal. If we get the four lanes, it's going to be safer for everybody who drives it."

Wyman sees several other needed benefits. "The completion of this section of roadway will close the gap and complete a four-lane corridor on Route 412 from Tennessee, through Missouri and into Arkansas. MoDOT feels this improvement will encourage commerce, improve driver safety, and increase the capacity of the roadway." The 412 stretch is the only portion of the national route, which runs more than 1,000 miles, from New Mexico to western Tennessee, that has yet to be widened.

The sales tax is estimated to bring in $5.4 billion per year. Collins believes the proposed tax is a great thing, not just for Dunklin County, but for the whole state. "When you see the fact about Missouri roads, compared with other states, Missouri has so much more roadway, with the least amount of money, than several other states. I don't know if it (Amendment 7) will pass. I know the fear around here is that it will pass, and it will (only) take care of St. Louis and Kansas City. That's what this (MoDOT) list is supposed to help. Here are the projects that are going to get done."

The proposed sales tax is a temporary one, collected for ten years. It can only be extended by the voters of Missouri. The entire list of projects funded by the sales tax can be viewed at www.modot.org.