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April 1, 2009

Paving projects get under way throughout area

By Wally Kennedy

wkennedy@joplinglobe.com

Workers with Leo Journagan Construction, of Springfield, are resurfacing a 2.1-mile stretch of North Main Street with asphalt from Murphy Boulevard to Missouri Highway 171 in Airport Drive.

Wendy Brunner-Lewis, spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Transportation’s district office in Joplin, said the project is the first of six the company will tackle this year in Southwest Missouri. The North Main Street project is part of a $4.8 million contract.

“Most of these projects involve two to three miles of resurfacing,” she said. “It’s cheaper for the contractor to bid out these projects together. All of them will be finished by the end of November. This is the first one to get started.”

Workers with Journagan Construction were directing traffic Wednesday at Stone’s Corner, the interchange where North Main Street and Highway 171 meet.

Three of the six projects are in Newton County. Two involve portions of U.S. Highway 60: from the Oklahoma state line to U.S. Highway 71, and from Business Highway 71 to Hickory Creek. The other Newton County project involves Missouri Highway 59 from Route AA to the Arkansas state line. At 22 miles, it is the largest project.

Also receiving overlays of asphalt will be Route Z, from Route YY to Highway 171 at Carl Junction, and U.S. Highway 160 in Barton County, from Highway 71 to east of Lamar.





Weather permitting



The North Main Street project started Monday and should conclude by Friday, if weather permits.

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