Response from State Representative Cornejo

I cannot figure out how to respond to everyone who has signed the petition that you started on Change.org so I figured that I would respond directly to you. Yesterday afternoon I already started making phone calls and sending e-mails to see what, if anything, we can do to get guard cables installed on that stretch. MoDOT has given me the expected, routine response that there is no money in the budget to do that project (even though they are sitting on a "reserve fund" of over $982 million). Even though there will be huge improvements made to that stretch of highway which have been in the plans for years and should break ground later this year, guard cables are currently not part of that plan. Most deaths have occurred at at-grade crossings and that is why the major part of the project will be to an overpass at Hwy 61 and Hwy P/Peine Road along with eliminating some other at grade crossings and directing traffic down outer roads towards the overpass. I am going to continue making phone calls and sending e-mails to see what I can do. I may even go as far as trying to insert a line item entry into the $27 billion budget that specifically directs MoDOT to spend money strictly on this project. Although I cannot promise anything at this time, I wanted to let you know that your voice is being heard and so are all the others that have signed the petition. Please feel free to contact me here or at my House of Representatives office at 573-751-1484 or robert.cornejo@house.mo.gov