Heads up, commuters: MoDOT is putting a pause on your regular drive. Starting from August 11, the southbound Route 61 exit ramp feeding into westbound Interstate 70 will be hitting a 45-day break starting sharp at 6 a.m., if the skies agree. During the closure, the Luetkenhaus ramp to westbound I-70 will also be out of service, MoDOT says. But if you're looking to hit the eastbound I-64, the Luetkenhaus ramp will still play ball.
Wondering how to skirt around this roadwork? Southbound Route 61 traffic should stick to eastbound Interstate 70, then jump off at the Route A interchange for a quick half-turn to catch the westbound I-70 flow. This detour promises to keep Missouri motorists looping until they reconnect with their intended route.
The whole shebang is part of the I-70/I-64/Route 61 interchange facelift, an essential piece of the "Improve I-70 Warrenton to Wentzville Project," which kicked off after its November 2024 award. The project is a long haul, expected to unfurl its construction tape all the way through 2028.
And this choked-up ramp? It's just a taste of the wider canvas Missouri's laying down. The state's General Revenue, fattened up with a $2.8 billion boost for fiscal year 2024, is plotting a third lane to grace nearly 200 miles of I-70's stretch from Blue Springs to Wentzville, according to MoDOT. Signed off by the governor, this budget wants to see I-70 not just grow a third lane, but to blossom into a higher state of driving bliss through planning, design, constructing, reconstruction, and rehabilitation efforts.
