WENTZVILLE, Mo.– The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is set to make history with the kickoff of its first project in the statewide Improve I-70 program.
This groundbreaking event will take place Thursday in Columbia, Mo. The project is estimated to cost $2.8 billion to expand I-70 across the state. It’ll eventually go from Blue Springs to Wentzville.
Phase one of the project will start in mid-Missouri, however, going from Columbia to Kingdom City. The reason is that it’s said to be “shovel-ready.”
This update affects the stretch between U.S. 63 and U.S. 54. The project to improve I-70 from Columbia to Kingdom City is a big undertaking. This $405 million fixed-cost contract, which includes $123 million previously allocated for the interchanges at U.S. 63 and U.S. 54, aims to enhance the 20-mile stretch of I-70.
This is just one of several projects designed to widen the I-70 corridor across the state, aiming to improve transportation and safety. Since its original construction more than 50 years ago, I-70 has been vital for moving people, goods, and information across Missouri and beyond. These updates are expected to further bolster its safety and efficiency.
MoDOT will host the groundbreaking ceremony alongside Governor Mike Parson on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. in Columbia. The goal is for this leg of the project to be completed in 2027 and the expansion from Blue Springs to Wentzville to be done by 2030.
