In the state budget approved earlier this month by the Missouri General Assembly, there is $3 million allocated for improvements to Shafer Road. It still must be approved by Gov. Mike Kehoe.
The official line-item description allocates the $3 million to “Shafer Road — to provide access to a state-operated nursery” (which refers to the George O. White State Forest Nursery just northwest of Licking).
This funding comes from the Conservation Commission Fund (CCF) and was pushed across the finish line this session by local representatives after a previous $2 million appropriation for the road was vetoed in a prior budget cycle.
This funding allows the Missouri Department of Conservation to partner with MoDOT to plan, design and complete necessary maintenance, repairs and upgrades to the roadway. Shafer Road serves employees and operations at the state nursery, supports visitors traveling to local outdoor recreation and tourism sites, and is also used daily by local families and farmers who rely on it for work, travel and access to their property.
Tree plantings
There are so many potholes on Shafer Road west of Licking that someone has planted trees.
The upkeep of the roadway has been a trouble spot since the township transferred maintenance to the Missouri Department of Transportation. The latter says it is not required to maintain it.
Accompanied with a photograph, the Licking News last week reported, “As if potholes and crumbling edges weren’t enough a hazard, trees were placed in several of the holes on Shafer Road. It wasn’t clear if the trees were meant to be a warning sign so drivers would miss the potholes or if they have some other hidden meaning.”
