Willow Springs, Mo. - Hundreds of people braved the heat to participate in the Show-Me 60 Caravan celebration on Aug. 13. The caravan was held to celebrate the completion of Route 60 as a completely four-lane facility across Missouri.
Mayor Jay Waggoner kicked off the opening ceremony in Willow Springs and emphasized how long the community has waited for a four-lane corridor. "The community has dreamed of this day for about 50 years. Dreams can become reality when men of vision commit to them," said Waggoner.
Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) District Engineer Tom Stehn presented Congresswoman Emerson with a commemorative street sign in recognition of her efforts towards making the Route 60 expansion a reality. "We really could not have completed this corridor without the support of Senator Bond and Congresswoman Emerson," said Stehn.
"I can't even believe we are here today finally finishing it," said U.S. Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson. Emerson highlighted the importance of this corridor to commerce throughout rural Missouri. "We have a great quality of life. We certainly have people who have a magnificent work ethic. We just have a very special place that we call home... There is absolutely no doubt that our communities now will grow and prosper. While we may not see it, our children and grandchildren will," said Emerson. The Congresswoman also made a point to thank those who worked on the roads. "I want to thank all the construction workers, who, you can only imagine, in this kind of heat were out there sweating, working as hard as they did from sunup to sundown making this happen," said Emerson.
In addition to Willow Springs, the caravan stopped in Mountain View, Winona, Poplar Bluff, Dexter and Sikeston. At each stop, communities were presented with a commemorative plaque in appreciation of their support and hosting of the event. "We are grateful to the citizens and community leaders along the corridor for their support, patience and cooperation during the construction phase of this project," said Stehn.
During the whistle stop in Mountain View, participants were treated to an exhibit of historical memorabilia and photographs from along Route 60; included a steel Route 60 sign. Local historian, Lou Wehmer, was on hand to answer questions and provide additional information.
The Winona whistle stop was held at the Twin Pines Conservation Center where Congresswoman Emerson took a moment to comment on the location. "This is a beautiful building the Conservation Department has here. We are so blessed and fortunate to have it here in a spectacular spot which will attract more people and tourists," said Emerson.
In Winona, Representative J.C. Kuessner shared with the crowd a story about his grandmother receiving the right to vote in 1920 and riding a mule to cast her vote for a two cent sales tax to improve transportation. "She knew in her own mind that she'd never see this, but she thought for sure her grandkids might see some changes. Well, in 1925 she saw the beginning of the building of highway 60," said Kuessner.
The caravan concluded in Sikeston, where Senator Bond expressed his support. "This is going to be tremendous avenue for commerce, for transportation, for tourism, and for safety. I learned back when I was governor that communities grow when they have good transportation. That is one of the key factors in seeing communities grow and providing economic opportunity. This provides that opportunity," said Bond.
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Ozark Radio News - Jo Ann Emerson Visits District 9 - 6/6/11by OzarkAreaNetworkDotC96 views
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