SIKESTON-The Missouri Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 8 to discuss improvements to Route 34 in Bollinger and Cape Girardeau Counties. The hearing will be held at Burfordville Baptist Church, located on Route HH in Burfordville.

The meeting will have an open-house format, so visitors can stop by to talk one-on-one with a member of the project team anytime between 4 and 7 p.m. No formal presentation will be given. 

"Motorists can expect this project to be very similar to the other work currently underway along the Route 34 corridor," said Transportation Project Designer Jeff Wachter. "The project will include resurfacing, adding shoulders and improving the side slopes."

He added the project spans over 15 miles, stretching from 1.5 miles east of Route 51 to Route 72 near Jackson.

A contract for the project is expected to be let in winter 2013, with construction in 2014.

As work is underway, work zones will be flagger controlled.

For more information, please call Wachter at 573-472-5294, Project Manager Eric Krapf at 573-472-5261 or 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636). For an opportunity to comment or view the meeting handout, please visit: http://www.modot.org/southeast/news_and_information/public_meetings/route34_jan13.htm.