By ERIC KOPINSKI

It has been fewer than 200 days since Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and other key elected officials celebrated the signing of Missouri House Bill 4, marking the start of a generational opportunity and historic investment in infrastructure. Missouri’s FY2024 budget from the General Assembly provides $2.8 billion in General Revenue funds for the costs to build a third lane of Interstate 70 in both directions from Blue Springs to Wentzville. Mo.

With the historic funding now in place, MoDOT has worked hard to establish a 25-person statewide program team, establish a process and schedule to complete all necessary environmental work for projects and has held several public information and industry meetings along the I-70 corridor.

Most recently, the team has been tackling the procurement of Project #1, Improve I-70: Columbia to Kingdom City. This $405 million, fixed-cost design-build project was awarded to best-value proposer Millstone Weber, LLC and its designer Jacobs in February. It includes $129 million in previously programmed funds for the interchanges at U.S. 63 and U.S. 54. Construction could start as early as Summer 2024.

The goals for the Improve I-70: Columbia to Kingdom City project component are as follows:

• Deliver the project by the end of 2027 within the program budget.
• Provide a third lane of travel for eastbound and westbound Interstate 70 from Columbia to Kingdom City.
• Improve the I-70/U.S. 63 and I-70/U.S. 54 interchanges, providing for better traffic flow and movement of freight.
• Improve the interstate while modernizing the existing pavement and bridges.
• Minimize construction impacts through communication and construction staging while maintaining safety and mobility.
• Provide expanded employment opportunities to a diverse workforce.

The proposal includes new concrete pavement on all three lanes of I-70 in both directions between U.S. 63 and U.S. 54, and improved interchange designs at the U.S. 63 and U.S. 54 interchanges at I-70. Two lanes of traffic in both directions will be open during peak hours throughout construction. To learn more about Improve I-70: Columbia to Kingdom City, visit www.modot.org/improvei70/columbiakingdomcity.

With the first project’s contract negotiations underway, the Improve I-70 Program is full steam ahead. There is, however, still much left to do. And with the help of industry partners, elected officials and the local community, we are thrilled for what the future holds with this historic program across the state of Missouri.

To learn more about the Improve I-70 Program, visit www.modot.org/improvei70.

Eric Kopinski is MoDOT’s Improve I-70 program director.