The City of Cape maintains more than 230 miles of street and 22 miles of alleyways, which is roughly the same distance as a drive to St Louis and back. Some roadway in Cape Girardeau is privately owned or maintained by other agencies (such as Kingshighway). Street Maintenance efforts are coordinated by both our Public Works and Community Development departments using funding from the General Fund, Capital Improvement Sales Tax, other sources when available, but mostly the Transportation Trust Fund tax renewal considered by voters every five years.
Voters will decide April 8, 2025 whether to extend
the Transportation Trust Fund Sales Tax, a 1/2 of one percent sales tax
that has been renewed every five years since 1995 to improve the city's
street network. Proposed projects include:
- Mount Auburn Road from Hopper Road to Independence Street
(New Pavement, New Curb and Gutter, Sidewalk Repair)
$5,500,000
- Perryville Road from Cape Rock Drive to Perry Avenue
(Pavement Repair, Addition of New Sidewalk on East Side) $3,500,000
- Sprigg Street from William Street to Route 74
(New Pavement, New Curb and Gutter, Sidewalk Repair) $4,500,000
- General Maintenance Projects ~$2.3 million/year
For additional detail, review the citizen advisory committee's complete proposal.
The following is a list of our projects that are in progress, coming soon, or recently complete.
In Progress
🔶 Lexington Avenue (TTF6)
Construction began March 2024 and will take 18 months to renovate Carolina Lane to Sherwood Drive, and West Cape
Rock Drive to Big Bend Road.
🔶 Improvements to the Route 74 /Minnesota Ave Intersection (TTF6)
The City and MoDOT are coordinating on this cost-share on this project that will connect Minnesota Ave. to Route 74 near Jefferson School (pool and park). Work began June 24, 2024 to be completed within 250 days. The project is ahead of schedule, anticipated to be completed by the end of the year - possibly in November. During construction, traffic will remain open in both directions on 74 but drivers should anticipate lane shifts or closures as needed. Minnesota will be closed to thru traffic between College Street and Brink Avenue and Brink Avenue will be closed to thru traffic between Louis Street and Minnesota. Following construction, the east end of Brink Avenue will no longer intersect Minnesota but will terminate in a cul de sac west of Minnesota. The new Minnesota connection will only have access to and from the westbound lanes of 74. The existing Minnesota connection on the south side of 74 at the Shawnee Sports Complex will only have access to and from the eastbound lanes of 74 following construction. A concrete traffic barrier will block Minnesota traffic from crossing the four lanes of 74 for safety reasons. An open house was hosted for the project in 2022.
🔶 Various Repairs - Annual Funding from Transportation Trust Fund tax
Construction will be completed thru 2025.
- Two blocks of South Frederick
- Two blocks of South Middle Street
- Two blocks of South Jefferson Avenue
- Cape Rock Drive from Kingshighway to Perryville
- Perryville Road from Lexington to Sherwood
🔶 Various Repairs - Annual Funding from Capital Improvement Sales Tax
The improvements consist of removing and replacing concrete panels, removal and replacement of portions of street, curb, and gutter, adjustments to existing manholes, inlets, and utility castings.
- 100 block of S. Farrar Drive
- 2810 to 2846 Whitener Street
- Whitener Street and N. Silver Springs Road intersection
- 1823 to 2365 Rust Avenue
- 741 Forest Avenue
- 2311 to 2331 Bloomfield Road
- 2050 to 2061 Corporate Circle
- 1439 to 1491 S. Minnesota Avenue
🔶 Everyday, short-term rapid repairs, such as a pothole fill, are not listed in addition to periodic concrete repairs by staff (General Fund supported).