Brace yourselves, Columbia commuters: Traffic on eastbound I-70 is predicted to slow to a crawl this weekend. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) alerts drivers to anticipate "significant delays" from tonight through the early hours on Monday, as reported by MoDOT. One lane between Boone County Route B (Paris Road) and U.S. Route 63 will be closed around the clock, and sporadic full closures may temporarily halt traffic completely.
MoDOT advises motorists to allow for potential 30-minute delays or, if feasible, to proactively devise a detour. The disruption is due to the removal of a defunct left-hand exit from westbound I-70 to Business Loop 70 and the subsequent construction of a new roundabout. This project aims to "improve the flow of traffic and reduce congestion at the I-70/U.S. Route 63 interchange," the MoDOT explained. To keep inconveniences to a minimum, all project timelines are weather contingent and could shift as necessary.
The construction is part of the broader initiative "Improve I-70: Columbia to Kingdom City," which envisions the addition of a third travel lane over a 20-mile stretch. This ambitious $405 million fixed-cost contract is part of a substantial investment in the state's infrastructure. Missouri has earmarked "$2.8 billion in General Revenue to build a third lane of I-70 across the state," an initiative funded by the state's FY2024 budget—marking a significant upscaling of the current traffic capacity that stretches approximately 200 miles, as per MoDOT.
For the duration of this weekend's operations, MoDOT implores the public to "work with us by buckling up, putting your phone down, obeying all traffic signs, and slowing down and moving over in work zones." Remember, traffic updates and further information regarding the project can always be found at MoDOT's official website.
