The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is calling on the community for feedback on a proposed realignment of U.S. Route 63. Aimed at addressing safety issues and improving traffic flow from south of U.S. Route 50 to the Maries River in northern Osage County, the project comes in response to a worrisome track record on this stretch of road. Over the past decade, it has been the site of 190 crashes, resulting in seven fatalities, 12 serious injuries, and 80 minor injuries, as detailed on the MoDOT website.
Community engagement is being sought through both an open-house style hearing and a four-week public commenting period. MoDOT has scheduled the hearing for August 21, at the Westphalia Knights of Columbus, 819 Highway 63 in Westphalia. The informal event runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and attendees are invited to drop in at their convenience, with no formal presentation slated. Instead, the project team will be on standby to field inquiries, disseminate information, and document public opinion. Meeting exhibits are slated to be made available online for those unable to attend in person.
Comments can be submitted starting August 6 up until September 4, through various channels including the project’s webpage, email, or traditional mail. MoDOT emphasizes that all submissions must be either received or postmarked by the September 4 deadline. Residents looking to offer their perspectives can find more information and the online comment form on the MoDOT project page.
Accommodating the needs of all participants, MoDOT assures that reasonable accommodations or translation services will be provided for the event upon request. Interested parties are advised to reach out to MoDOT by August 15 at [email protected] for these arrangements.
