MoDOT's funding situation has left the department with tough choices
when it comes to unforeseen repairs, like the Route 79 slide near
Ashburn.  However, thanks to collaboration with regional planning partners, local officials and input from the general public, MoDOT will be able to address the Route 79 slide over the next year and a half, because two bridge projects will be rescheduled. 

"We
schedule our construction in a five-year plan.  Typically, we leave
some flexibility in the later years," explained MoDOT Northeast
District Engineer Paula Gough.  A recent meeting with key stakeholders
discussed that replacing the two bridges on Route 79 near Foley and Elsberry could be rescheduled so Route 79 near Ashburn could be reopened.

The
work near Ashburn, however, will more than likely not occur until the
spring and summer of 2011, which means the road will remain closed for
now.  "The slide is still moving and there are several other slides in
the area we are also monitoring, yet we are finalizing the design and cost estimate of options that will allow us a permanent solution," Gough explained.

Gough
assures the two bridges on Route 79 near Foley and Elsberry are safe,
and she explained they are being rescheduled, not cancelled.  There
were two key reasons these bridge replacements were considered for
rescheduling.  "The cost of these two bridge replacements is about the
funding amount needed to address the slide," she said.  "The other
critical reason is the regional importance of the entire Route 79
corridor; the functionality of Route 79 as a north/south corridor is
limited until we fix the slide," she explained. 

Ultimately,
the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission will need to
approve the recommendation to reschedule the Lincoln County Route 79
bridges to make funding available for the repair of the Pike County
Route 79 slide in the next Statewide Transportation Improvement
Program.  The Commission will address the issue at its July meeting. 

"We
are continuing the public involvement process to determine the right
solution for the Route 79 slide," Gough said.  She said engineers have
completed a substantial amount of design work already.  "The preferred
solution for reopening Route 79 is to relocate about a mile of the road
down into the Salt River bottom, especially since we continue to see movement of the existing roadway." she explained.

Two public meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, June 8: one in Louisiana
from 4:30 until 6 p.m. at Your Event Center; and the second one is from
7 until 8 p.m. in Ashburn at the Ted Shanks Conservation Center.  More
information can be found online at www.modot.org/northeast or by calling MoDOT's Northeast District office at 573-248-2490.