Motorists navigating through Cooper County should expect delays, as the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) embarks on core drilling operations along Interstate 70 next week. According to MoDOT, portions of I-70 will be reduced to a single lane—the eastbound side during daytime hours and the westbound stretch at night.
Specifically, closures on the westbound I-70 will occur from mile markers 113 to 113.2, effective 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. starting Monday, and concluding Friday. The eastbound lane, on the flip side, will shut down between mile markers 101.2 and 101.6, west of Missouri Route 5, on Tuesday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. While all scheduled work hinges on favorable weather, MoDOT urges drivers to employ caution in these temporary work zones, emphasizing the familiar mantra, "Buckle Up. Phone Down."
This operation is a piece of the larger "Improve I-70: Boonville to Rocheport" initiative, a segment of MoDOT’s extensive Statewide Improve I-70 Program. Core drilling is fundamental in the scrutinization of the strata beneath the road's surface, which offers essential data for future roadway design choices and the selection of materials. The data acquired through this process informs how the projected expansion of I-70 to three lanes in each direction will unfold. Slated to begin construction in 2026, with the hope of completion by the end of 2027, the efforts reflect Missouri's commitment to enhancing one of its vital transport arteries, as per MoDOT.
The initiative is buoyed by Missouri’s FY2024 budget, which allocates a hefty $2.8 billion from General Revenue towards this expansion project. The initiative spans approximately 200 miles, extending from Blue Springs to Wentzville, with the aim to plan, design, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, and, crucially add that third lane to better accommodate the flow of traffic across the state.
