FARMINGTON, MO - U.S. Senator Kit Bond today joined Missouri Department of Transportation and local officials for a tour of Highway 67 in St. Francois County.

“Investing in our transportation infrastructure makes our roads and highways safer for Missouri families and is key to economic growth in our communities,” said Bond. “Good roads and bridges mean good jobs, which is why I will continue to bring our tax dollars back home for local priorities like the Highway 67 project.”

Since Bond served as Governor and now as Missouri’s senior Senator, improving Missouri’s transportation infrastructure has been one of his top priorities. In 2005, Bond coauthored the federal highway bill, where he secured over $1 billion in new highway funds for Missouri and $467.5 million for transportation projects statewide in the highway bill, including $15 million for the Highway 67 project.

As the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Department of Transportation, Bond secured $3 million in federal funds for the Wappapello Bridge portion of the Highway 67 project in the fiscal year 2008 spending bill, which passed the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this month. Before being signed into law the bill must first pass the full Senate and be reconciled with the House of Representatives. Bond secured an additional $3 million for the Old Orchard Road portion of the Highway 67 project in fiscal year 2006.

Bond was briefed on the improvements to Highway 67 between Farmington and Bonne Terre. The Highway 67 plan will expand the highway into a four-lane road. The plan has focused on removing at-grade crossovers along the 12-mile portion and includes a number of projects – Old Orchard Road, West Service Road and Fairgrounds Interchange, Flyover Ramp, Parkway Drive, Maple Street, and Rosener Road.

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