Work on U.S. 65 likely will begin this fall, probably in September. The Missouri 5 project is under way in Camden County and likely will begin in Laclede County in early to mid-2010.

U.S. 65 will be six-laned between U.S. 60 and Interstate 44 in Springfield, with a concrete barrier separating the northbound and southbound lanes. The successful bidder is Emery Sapp and Sons of Columbia. The bid amount is $26.9 million.

The low bidder was Archer, Western Contractors of Illinois. MoDOT determined, however, that Archer, Western's $26.2-million bid was non-responsive because it did not meet the federal law requiring a certain percentage of work to be performed by companies approved as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.

MoDOT, the City of Springfield and Greene County are putting funds into this project.

Alternating passing lanes, or a "Shared Four-Lane" highway, are being built between Lebanon and Missouri 7 south of Camdenton. The contract approved Wednesday will continue the work.

Emery Sapp and Sons of Columbia was awarded the construction contract after submitting the low bid of $16.2 million. The contract includes paving eight miles of newly relocated Missouri 5 from Missouri 7 south of Camdenton to just south of the Camden-Laclede county line. The project also includes grading and paving along 10 miles of Missouri 5 from just south of the Camden-Laclede county line to the north edge of Lebanon.

The first phase of the Missouri 5 project got under way in 2008 under an $11.4-million contract. Dave Kolb Grading of St. Charles is doing the grading work in preparation to relocate eight miles of Missouri 5 in Camden County.

A project to add signals and widen the intersection of Missouri 5 and Route YY/Harris Lane in Lebanon is nearing completion. A five-laning project is planned along Missouri 5 in Lebanon -- between Missouri 64 and Greenfield Road – with construction completion expected in 2011.