Work has begun on a 500-foot-long portion of Missouri Highway 59 between Ginger Blue and Shady Beach that has been closed since right after the December flood.
It is believed that the road failed because water saturated the material under the pavement and the material did not easily drain. The section will be replaced with material that drains more easily, according to Scott McKee, senior highway designer for the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Bids on the project were opened March 18. At its April 6 meeting the commission selected the low bidder, Phillips Hardy Inc. of Booneville, Mo., to do the job for $2,520,147, McKee said. Work began April 13.
The finish date for the project was recently moved up from mid-August to July 15. The commission has said they will charge the contractor $10,830 a day for every day after July 15 the project is not complete.
The road closure continues to be a safety concern for Noel residents because of the high volume of truck traffic diverted from Missouri 59 onto Highway H. Canoe outfitters looking forward to the coming season are also concerned about the safety and convenience of their customers who would normally use Missouri 59 and wonder how they will get to and from their canoeing destinations without being able to use the highway.
General News on 04/28/2016