Highway 63 realignment is second project in MoDOT tier two ranking, five to ten years out

By Laura Schiermeier, Staff Writer
Posted 8/27/21

MARIES COUNTY — At one of the Maries County Commission meetings last week, Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman gave a report on the transportation advisory committee (TAC) meeting he …

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Highway 63 realignment is second project in MoDOT tier two ranking, five to ten years out

Posted

MARIES COUNTY — At one of the Maries County Commission meetings last week, Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman gave a report on the transportation advisory committee (TAC) meeting he attended recently at MRPC in St. James.

Also attending from Maries County were TAC advisory members Ray Schwartze and Steve Vogt. 

As part of the meeting, the TAC members discussed the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The STIP is prepared annually and sets specific construction projects MoDOT will undertake in the next five years. It covers highways and bridges, transit, aviation, rail, waterways, bicycle, pedestrian, and operations and maintenance projects. MRPC’s TAC selects the transportation priorities for the Meramec Region.

Stratman explained that in the STIP they put dates on them about when they anticipate to fund and do the projects. There is the STIP and there are the tiers, tier one and tier two. There are 11 projects in tier two, which anticipates funding and construction within five to 10 years. The first project in tier two is the road improvements at the Love’s Truck Stop in Phelps County. The second project in tier two is US Highway 63, which includes Maries, Osage, and Phelps Counties. Stratman said they were told this project, which includes three realignments, will be split into five sections. The first section planned is a realignment beginning at Osage County Road 524, south of Route JJ, Freeburg, to Maries County Road 332, which is called Little Flock Road. Stratman said this is just “advisory.” 

In other news from the TAC meeting, Stratman said JD Fritchey had expressed concern about the county road approaches to state highways. When MoDOT paves the approaches it puts down about 30 feet of pavement. Stratman spoke with MoDOT’s Meramec Area District Engineer Preston Kramer about it. Kramer said each year MoDOT tries to do three to four pavings of county road approaches, partnering with the counties. The state does the work and sends the bill to the county, which pays for the material. He said the county roads with an incline going to the state highways are the ones that need it the most. 

Western District Commissioner Ed Fagre said MCR 532 and 506 are having this done right now. 

Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel said they are going to do MCR 309 on the east side. 

Stratman said he spoke to Kramer about the lights from businesses affecting the drivers’ vision on the roadway, which a citizen had spoke to the commissioners about. Kramer said in most cases a person can talk to the business and they will regulate the lights. 

New 911 Server

County IT Manager Shane Sweno was at the commission meeting briefly. He had just come off a very long shift with the Dixon Ambulance Service. COVID-19 has caused havoc with the Pulaski County Ambulance as so many employees had the virus they could not staff the ambulance and were relying on other ambulance services. Sweno said there is “Covid all over the place.”

He came to talk to the commissioners about the quote he received for the new 911 server in the 911 Dispatch in the basement sheriff’s office. The quote is a new one and is $1,500 higher than the previous quote, which Sweno said had not yet expired. He contacted the company, Abtech Technologies out of the state of California, and they agreed to let the old quote stand until Aug. 31, 2021 as previously stated. 

This new server is the oldest computer in the whole system, running Windows 2008. The price by Abtech is $7,568. Sweno said when he priced it himself the cost was over $12,000. But Abtech works with Dell and buys in bulk, thus the lower price. 

Stratman asked him, “Is this the one we really need?” and Sweno said yes, this is the one. Stratman and his fellow commissioners gave Sweno the go-ahead to get it, saving at least $1,500. Sweno said it will ship out quickly.

He also spoke to them about two network switches he needs that he has found for $500 each, but he is still looking for a better price. 

Stratman said MRPC staff think the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money should work to pay for it. With the 911 update which has a $130,000 price tag, they are talking about using the FEMA/SEMA hazardous mitigation grant. 

Drewel asked if Sweno had received a price on the radios they need. So far the quotes are $6,000 to $7000. They need two to three radios. 

Drewel asked about the working quality of the radios in Belle. Sweno said they work and they have other computers, router and equipment at Belle which belongs to the Maries County Sheriff’s Office. He said he thinks the sheriff’s office doing the policing in Belle has been positive as he has heard good things about it from Belle citizens. 

Treasurer Rhonda Slone said the county gets a portion of the Belle fine money to help pay for the sheriff’s office being responsible for the law enforcement for Belle. Not long after the sheriff’s office began working for Belle, Covid hit and negatively impacted the fine money. Slone said so far this year Maries County has received $9,489 in Belle fine money. Belle also receives a portion of the money, it was stated. 

Very impressed

Stratman attended the Missouri Main Street meeting and the Vienna community presentation presented at Eagle Fitness by the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and the Vienna Betterment Project group. “Kelly did a good job,” he said, adding he was impressed with the number of people who attended. He enjoyed the tour around town and talking to Vern Hutchison, John Barnhart and John Viessman.

3.56 acres

The county is prepared to disperse the money paid for the 3.56 acres of land it sold ok the courthouse steps on July 26. The property was surplus land at the Junction of Highway E and MCR 512. Russell and Joan Prenger were the high bidders and paid $5,200 for the land. Albert Crump, the attorney who handled the deal and sale for Maries County, was paid $1,000. The remainder, $3,980, was divided between the Maries R-1 School District and the Kenner Church. Each will receive $1,990. The commissioners said $1,990 probably is not a big deal to the school district, although it will help it along, but to the church it might be a good deal for it. 

Two years ago 

At the beginning of the Aug. 16 county commission meeting someone said two years ago today is when the eight Vienna Volunteer Fire Department firemen got hurt in the house explosion on Highway 28. The criminal case of the person charged with the crime is still awaiting a conclusion.