After months of negotiations, a long-awaited deal between landowners, the city and state may have paved the way for the Missouri Department of Transportation to upgrade the Highway 54 expressway interchange at Nichols Road (Lake Road 54-56) to a double diamond design for better traffic flow.
MoDOT and Osage Beach city officials have been meeting with the hospital and several property owners negotiating an agreement to turn land needed for right-of-way over to the state at no cost.
The state needed to acquire four parcels of land in order to close the deal on the interchange.
The interchange will be in addition to the Route KK interchange. The interchange will have two off ramps and one on ramp. 
Osage Beach city engineer Nick Edelman said the land transfer has not been completed but all parties are have with the outcome and want to see the project move forward.
“The city has enjoyed the working relationship with MoDOT on the project and we look forward to continuing that relationship,” he said.
The double diamond has already been designed. The interchange is part of the $138 million Osage Beach expressway project that is expected to be completed in 2010.
The double diamond was originally proposed by developers after MoDOT designed the interchange for the expressway.
It fell through when one of the developers was unable to get approval for a tax increment financing district.
When that occurred, MoDOT had already allocated the  money for the expressway project. In order to upgrade, MoDOT said the there was going to have to be additional funding to purchase the right-of-way.
Contact this reporter at joycem@lakesunleader.com