Interchange dedicated near Milo

City, county, state officials and transportation advocates cut the ribbon during a dedication ceremony held Monday at the Missouri Department of Transportation maintenance facility on the West Outer Road on the northern edge of Nevada, marking the completion and official opening of the new interchange at the intersection of U.S. 71 Highway and Route E near Milo, Mo. Left to right, Ken Stalcup, Mel Walbridge, Steve McIntosh and Becky Baltz of MoDOT; Nevada City Manager JD Kehrman, Nevada City Councilman Seth Barrett, Vernon County Presiding Commissioner Bonnie McCord and State Representative Barney Fisher. Rusty Murry/Daily Mail.

Despite an impromptu change of venue, city, county and state elected officials as well as Missouri Department of Transportation representatives and transportation advocates were on hand to dedicate the new road work and hear from speakers about the progress of the project and the hoped for benefits of having an interstate run through Vernon County.

Foul weather forced a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony scheduled for noon, Monday, to be moved from the site of the new U.S. 71 Highway and Route E interchange near Milo to the MoDOT maintenance facility, located on the West Outer Road on the north edge of Nevada.

Becky Baltz, the Southwest District engineer for MoDOT welcomed the group and told them about the four new interchanges -- at E, DD, D, and M -- and one new overpass in the county and how those improvements and the designation of the highway as I-49 next year will lead to improved safety. Baltz also said that a designated interstate is "a major reason businesses come to an area."

City manager JD Kehrman said that the city is excited about the new designation and its potential economic impact on the city of Nevada. Kehrman call the new road an "economic driver" and said it will possibly bring new business to the area as well as an increase in sales tax.

Kehrman said he was "pleasantly surprised" with the way that MoDOT handled the enormous job and the transition of the roadway.

Presiding Commissioner Bonnie McCord said she was glad that MoDOT had made "an investment in our infrastructure." McCord also said that she was first briefed on this project in 1993 and was happy to finally see it come to fruition.

State representative Barney Fisher called the new highway "progress" and said that the county and district will benefit from the project. "It was done very well," Fisher said, "and the entire district and western part of the state will benefit."

The I-49 Corridor project has been in the works for many years.

"It's not a process that happens overnight," said Baltz.

The rights of way needed to create a larger highway were purchased many years ago. Funding for the actual construction must be obtained on a state and federal level and engineering work has to be completed before anything can be done.

It has been a lengthy project and Baltz said that MoDOT has enjoyed "a great partnership with the people along the corridor."

Baltz said that whatever obstacles were encountered, city, state and local governments as well as property owners and contractors worked to surmount them and keep the project moving. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012.