Concerned Citizens Launch Petition Drive Calling for Road Upgrades

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.

← Back

 In an effort to draw attention to the deteriorating pavement condition on lettered routes across northeast Missouri, a concerned group of citizens has begun circulating an open petition to Missouri Governor Mike Parson. 

The petition states “We, the undersigned of Scotland County, Missouri, wish to express our utmost concern regarding the deteriorating condition of our lettered routes. According to MoDOT, each road is measured annually using the International Roughness Index (IRI) as the measuring tool. Last completed in 2019 (none in 2020 due to COVID-19) low volume roads with an index of higher than 170 is rated “not good”. We ask that MoDOT bring all of our lettered roads to an IRI of 170 or less by fiscal year 2022.” 

Group leader Joyce Harvey indicated the petitions will be available at various Scotland County businesses and public facilities for interested parties to add their signature. She added anyone wishing to sign the petition or get a copy to help circulate can contact her at 660.341.6224 or can contact Janet Fishback at 660.342.2330. Harvey also noted that a similar petition drive has begun in Clark County led by Junior Bertram with ongoing discussions about similar efforts potentially by residents in Schuyler County. For more information about the Clark County petition effort contact Bertram at 660.341.1847. 

Based on the 2019 MoDOT data, Scotland County had just 49% of its low volume roads rated good (IRI less than 170). MoDOT has a statewide goal of 70% good condition for low volume roads and met the goal in 2019 with 71% of the routes across the state rated good. However, at the county level, northeast Missouri fell well below the statewide goal. Schuyler County lettered routes were at just 36% good and Clark County was at 41% good. 

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission and MoDOT have taken measures this spring to try to address some of these concerns. Work is ongoing in Adair and Schuyler counties on numerous lettered routes that were damaged during construction of the wind turbine farm in that region. Additional spending is also being proposed to address the asset management deficit in some of these maintenance areas. Pavement work is planned for the next two weeks on Route B in Scotland County and additional improvements are expected as weather opens the door on the 2021 construction season.