Public hearing set today on Callaway Connector

Callaway County residents will have an opportunity today to provide comments during a public hearing and open house on a planned new $32.8 million state road from U.S. 54 at Fulton to the Callaway nuclear power plant.

The public hearing and open house will be from 4-7 p.m. today at the Callaway County Public Library, 710 Court St.

Michael Herleth, project manager of Burns and McDonnell Engineers, said public input is needed on the plan.

"We are excited about sharing our ideas to improve transportation between U.S. 54 and southeastern Callaway County," Herleth said.

Known as the Callaway County Connector, the new roadway starts at a point about 100 feet north of the Route H intersection with U.S. 54 on the south side of Fulton.

The new roadway will extend south of Fulton about one and one-half miles and then extend to the southeast to Hams Prairie. At this point the road would use the existing roadway along Route AD and continue east along the existing County Road 428 to the Auxvasse River, where a new bridge would be constructed.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.