Action oriented high school students honored. Five and a half years ago, Canton High School Senior Kristin Hendrickson died after a head-on collision on a two lane stretch of U.S. 61. Just days after her death, her classmates formed the SMART group--"Students of Missouri Assisting Rural Transportation". Little did they know then what their efforts would lead to. New signs will soon go up along U.S. 61 between Canton and LaGrange, officially naming that section of highway as the "SMART Memorial Highway". It's being named after SMART because it probably wouldn't be there without them. When SMART first formed, the Missouri Highway Commission said U.S. 61 wouldn't be four lanes to Wayland until 2020. The group wouldn't accept that--SMART went to speak to MODOT, the Highway Commission, the Governor--anyone who'd listen--and it worked. The final section of U.S. 61 from Canton to Wayland will be done in 2008. "When we started this five years ago, we never envisioned it would come to where it is today," said SMART group member Amanda Lindsey. State Representative Brian Munzlinger sponsored the bill to designate the section as the SMART Memorial Highway. Originally, he was told it couldn't be done--but he said SMART didn't take no for an answer, and neither did he.
"It's no small task what this group did," said Munzlinger. "This is just a little recoginition for all the heartache they went through." Kristen's mom says there's some comfort in knowing that her personal tragedy sparked the change that benefits everyone who drives on U.S. 61.
"I figure that she's done her part from up above," said Julie Logsdon. "I know she's been smiling down on them, helping them as much as she can." MODOT will put up the signs later this week.
