Avenue of the Saints Celebration On Hold
Avenue of the Saints Celebration On Hold
HANNIBAL – In light of the flooding and the efforts of the communities along the Mississippi River and the Avenue of the Saints, MoDOT has officially put the Avenue of the Saints Dedication celebration, scheduled for Friday, June 27, on hold. “As communities in northeast Missouri work 24/7 to keep water out, it is just not a good time to celebrate,” said Marisa Brown, community relations manager for MoDOT’s Northeast District.
The postponement gives MoDOT and its contractor, Bross Construction, more time to complete the four-lane highway, which is expected to open in late July. “We had to set a ceremony date early on, and originally we were hopeful the Avenue would be completed before July 1,” Brown stated. However, she noted a wet spring hampered progress on the Avenue. “The dedication ceremony should be closer to the actual opening date now that we have postponed it,” she explained.
The ceremony will still include caravans and whistle stops at communities along the Avenue. “With a few exceptions, we expect the program to remain the same,” Brown said. “I really appreciate the committee members from Iowa, Missouri and Illinois who are helping organize the event, as well as the communities who have made efforts to be involved,” Brown said. “We all felt postponing the event was the right thing to do,” she concluded.
Once Missouri’s four-lane section is completed, the Avenue of the Saints will be a four-lane, 550-mile highway between St. Paul, MN and St. Louis, MO.
