The City of Sikeston is taking a proactive stance in shaping the future development and connectivity of the region by announcing its official position on the proposed interchange locations along Future I-57 in Southeast Missouri.

In 2017 the U.S. Congress designated Highway 60 from Sikeston to Poplar Bluff, and Highway 67 from Poplar Bluff to Little Rock, Arkansas, as Future I-57. The City of Sikeston wholeheartedly supports the designation and the projects needed to upgrade portions of that route to interstate. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is currently undertaking a traffic study to explore improvements needed to provide access to Future I-57 from I-55 in Sikeston to just west of Morehouse, Missouri.

The City of Sikeston declares our support for interchanges on Highway 60/Future I-57 at Ingram Rd in Sikeston, near Route BB/FF (Brown Spur Rd) in New Madrid County, and near the City of Morehouse. The interchange at Ingram Road is needed immediately, and the other interchanges will be needed later, once Highway 60 is upgraded to Interstate 57 and existing at-grade crossings are closed.

In 2019 the MoDOT Southeast District signed a support letter recommending to the Highway Commission’s Cost Share Committee an interchange at Ingram Rd, stating “This portion of US 60 has been designated as Future I-57 and these improvements are in line with this designation.” The Bootheel Regional Planning Commission has ranked this project as the #1 transportation project in the region for many years. Building an interchange at this location will allow the closure of several at-grade crossings, improving safety through the corridor.

Not building an interchange at Ingram is not a responsible option. The nearby at-grade crossings need to be closed and there is no better location for the interchange than Ingram Rd. To not build an interchange between I-55 and Highway 61 would be a death sentence for local businesses, including TAG Truck Center, PTI, and others, who would have to direct customers to an exit miles away from the businesses and drive a convoluted and congested route to reach them.

To build an interchange further east of Ingram would be a waste of taxpayer dollars as the overpass at Ingram Rd is already under construction and only needs the addition of on/off ramps. Missouri taxpayers have dedicated $2,600,000 to the Ingram location. Sikeston taxpayers have already committed the other $2,000,000 for the overpass, Sikeston and New Madrid County taxpayers have spent $750,000 on right-of-way purchases for the overpass and ramps, and over $5,300,000 for an outer road to connect to the Ingram location. The overpass currently under construction at Ingram has intentionally been designed by MoDOT to accommodate ramps in the future.

We encourage our federal and state legislators, as well as other citizens, to contact MoDOT and voice your support for the City’s position on this issue. An interchange must be approved and built at Ingram Rd and US 60/Future I-57.