Missouri

[mvak36]

Rocheport bridge update: It looks like they've shifted the westbound traffic onto the new bridge. Eastbound will be shifted to the new bridge next month.

https://www.modot.org/node/28812

The shift of the eastbound lanes of I-70 to the new bridge is anticipated for late July. Following that traffic shift, demolition of the old Rocheport Bridge and construction of the new eastbound bridge can begin. Completion of the entire project is expected in late 2024.

[afguy]

I-70 widening is official now as Gov. Parsons signed the budget today.


Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signs budget with $2.8B plan to expand I-70 across the state

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Friday signed a roughly $51 billion budget for the next fiscal year that fully funds a massive expansion of Interstate 70 but cuts half a million in items sought by lawmakers. The $2.8 billion highway plan would extend the interstate from two lanes each way to three across the state from Blue Springs in Jackson County to Wentzville near St. Louis. It's substantially more ambitious than the $859 million proposal Parson sought at the start of the year which would have expanded the highway in three specific spots near Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis. "With this budget, our administration has done the right thing — the conservative thing — to make strategic investments and maintain responsible spending,"  Parson said in a statement. Half of the highway expansion will be paid for with general revenue and the other half through bonds repaid over 15 years.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article276897048.html

[intelati49]

I-70 widening is official now as Gov. Parsons signed the budget today.


Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signs budget with $2.8B plan to expand I-70 across the state

. The $2.8 billion highway plan would extend the interstate from two lanes each way to three across the state from Blue Springs in Jackson County to Wentzville near St. Louis. ...Half of the highway expansion will be paid for with general revenue and the other half through bonds repaid over 15 years.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article276897048.html

About time. Interesting bonds.. anyone have insight in the financials?

I'm reminded of the "doughnut" hole q few years back (a period of limited spending following a 'boom' period)

[Plutonic Panda]

Awesome! This is truly something other states like California could never do in the current situation. They just decided to widen the entire thing across the state and in a pretty reasonable time frame. So stuff like this can absolutely be done it just takes will.

[afguy]

While I'm excited to see the much needed I-70 expansion moving forward, I'm disappointed that the governor vetoed funds for studying the expansion of I-44 and making safety improvements to U.S. 63.

But, Parson vetoed $28 million to study a widening of Interstate 44, as well as similar projects seeking to improve traffic flow near Hannibal and on U.S. Route 63 near Cabool. They had been inserted into the spending blueprint to win votes from rural lawmakers who don't represent districts near I-70.

The governor also cut $2.5 million to study the conversion of U.S. Route 36, an east-west route across northern Missouri, to interstate highway status.

While spending down some of the state's more than $6 billion surplus was a priority for lawmakers before normal budgetary pressures begin to return, Parson said some of the legislative earmarks placed in the blueprint should be handled by local governments.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/parson-cuts-more-than-a-half-billion-dollars-from-massive-missouri-state-budget/article_4d28a1d4-1794-11ee-8003-3fa0a44f8907.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

[Plutonic Panda]

$28 million just for a study of widening I-44? Throughout the entire state? Did I-70 have a study that expensive? That seems a bit much.

[Rothman]

$28 million just for a study of widening I-44? Throughout the entire state? Did I-70 have a study that expensive? That seems a bit much.

Heh.  Tens of millions were spent studying just the little length of the I-81 viaduct, so $28m for the entire length of I-44 in MO is a bargain.

[Plutonic Panda]

$28 million just for a study of widening I-44? Throughout the entire state? Did I-70 have a study that expensive? That seems a bit much.

Heh.  Tens of millions were spent studying just the little length of the I-81 viaduct, so $28m for the entire length of I-44 in MO is a bargain.

I'm wondering if it is the entire length though. I've definitely been in situations where I've thought it could use it.

[skluth]

$28 million just for a study of widening I-44? Throughout the entire state? Did I-70 have a study that expensive? That seems a bit much.

Heh.  Tens of millions were spent studying just the little length of the I-81 viaduct, so $28m for the entire length of I-44 in MO is a bargain.

I'm wondering if it is the entire length though. I've definitely been in situations where I've thought it could use it.

A $2.5M study for I-72 was also vetoed. I do wonder if the I-44 study had been closer to $2.5M vs $28M that it would not have been vetoed. It would be difficult politically to veto an interstate study for $2.5 million and not veto a study costing eleven times more, even if the two studies are completely different. (Never underestimate the irrational logic of voters.)

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah that was more or less my thinking as well other than not knowing too much about I-72 or where it would even run. I need to refresh my memory on that one.

[intelati49]

$28 million just for a study of widening I-44? Throughout the entire state? Did I-70 have a study that expensive? That seems a bit much.

Heh.  Tens of millions were spent studying just the little length of the I-81 viaduct, so $28m for the entire length of I-44 in MO is a bargain.

It's not like there's a recent(ish) study of I-44 from OK to STL Planning for Progress

[skluth]

$28 million just for a study of widening I-44? Throughout the entire state? Did I-70 have a study that expensive? That seems a bit much.

Heh.  Tens of millions were spent studying just the little length of the I-81 viaduct, so $28m for the entire length of I-44 in MO is a bargain.

It's not like there's a recent(ish) study of I-44 from OK to STL Planning for Progress

That's actually a pretty comprehensive study, even if it is 15 years old. I guess MODOT could just say "This is what we said 15 years ago. It's worse now."

[intelati49]

That's actually a pretty comprehensive study, even if it is 15 years old. I guess MODOT could just say "This is what we said 15 years ago. It's worse now."

I've been over the PDF several times over. Joplin/Neosho/Rolla is the stretch I know best.

I-70 is 100% worse, but there are parts of 44 that need improvement still.. MO66 to Springfield could probably be 6 lanes right now. More climbing lanes..

[ilpt4u]

Did the Missouri I-57 project end up fully funded in this budget? 2-lane US 67 upgraded to Interstate Standard from Poplar Bluff to the Arkansas line, and 4-lane US 60 upgrades to eliminate at-grade access between Poplar Bluff and Sikeston?

[fhmiii]

Yeah that was more or less my thinking as well other than not knowing too much about I-72 or where it would even run. I need to refresh my memory on that one.

I-72 would connect Qunicy, IL and Hannibal, MO with either Cameron or St Joseph, MO along what is currently the US-36 corridor.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Awesome! This is truly something other states like California could never do in the current situation. They just decided to widen the entire thing across the state and in a pretty reasonable time frame. So stuff like this can absolutely be done it just takes will.

Is any of this shovel ready?

[skluth]

That's actually a pretty comprehensive study, even if it is 15 years old. I guess MODOT could just say "This is what we said 15 years ago. It's worse now."

I've been over the PDF several times over. Joplin/Neosho/Rolla is the stretch I know best.

I-70 is 100% worse, but there are parts of 44 that need improvement still.. MO66 to Springfield could probably be 6 lanes right now. More climbing lanes..

I used to live in St Louis so I'm more familiar with the other side of the state. I-44 is at least six lanes out to the exits for Washington and Union (MO 100 and US 50) as most of the commuter traffic comes in on those two highways. But that's just after the highway really starts to get hilly and it stays hilly until well past Fort Wood. It may not be as busy as between Joplin and Springfield but it's a busy truck corridor so it's common to get stuck behind a truck passing another truck through the hills. Both I-44 and I-70 should probably be six lanes across the state, mostly because both carry huge amounts of freight. The other interstates are fine as four lane freeways and I can't see that changing even if I-57 is built between Little Rock and Sikeston.

I agree that I-70 needs six lanes even more but Jefferson city politicians should set it up so that I-44 highway expansion is prioritized as the next expansion project to get more statewide support. Heck, it may be the one thing you could get both parties to agree on.

[Plutonic Panda]

Awesome! This is truly something other states like California could never do in the current situation. They just decided to widen the entire thing across the state and in a pretty reasonable time frame. So stuff like this can absolutely be done it just takes will.

Is any of this shovel ready?

Per the schedule posted a few posts back the first project starts next year and the final one starts by like 2027/28 so I'd imagine some of it and most soon will be.

What amazes me is it seems like they just started talking about after identifying a clear need less than six months ago and then decided it is time. Now it signed and much of it will be completed before 2030 with all it U/C by then.

Meanwhile here in Southern California we have wide open spaces in a desert with an interstate that's been overdue for a widening for the better part of the last several decades and the only plan we can come up with is a short distance, part time shoulder lane that they aren't even updating us on. I would argue I-15 should be 4 lanes each way but we can't even get Caltrans to make it 3. Much of it already is they would just need to fill in the gaps. Oh but don't worry that bullet train is schedule to start construction by the end of the year..... for the 5th year in a row.

[fhmiii]

Awesome! This is truly something other states like California could never do in the current situation. They just decided to widen the entire thing across the state and in a pretty reasonable time frame. So stuff like this can absolutely be done it just takes will.

Is any of this shovel ready?

Per the schedule posted a few posts back the first project starts next year and the final one starts by like 2027/28 so I'd imagine some of it and most soon will be.

What amazes me is it seems like they just started talking about after identifying a clear need less than six months ago and then decided it is time. Now it signed and much of it will be completed before 2030 with all it U/C by then.

Meanwhile here in Southern California we have wide open spaces in a desert with an interstate that's been overdue for a widening for the better part of the last several decades and the only plan we can come up with is a short distance, part time shoulder lane that they aren't even updating us on. I would argue I-15 should be 4 lanes each way but we can't even get Caltrans to make it 3. Much of it already is they would just need to fill in the gaps. Oh but don't worry that bullet train is schedule to start construction by the end of the year..... for the 5th year in a row.

This is the difference between a state that has debt at less than 1/3 of its annual budget ($16.34MMM vs $51.8MMM) and a state that has debt at 175% of its annual budget ($520MMM vs $296MMM).

[Plutonic Panda]

Ah whatever. Statistics can be used to paint any picture you want. California just had a 100+ billion dollar surplus. They could have funded a huge amount of the SF-LA HSR line. They could have widened I-15 and built the LA-LV HSR line with that and paid for Nevada's portion. Now supposedly there's a deficit. Point is California could get it done just as easily as Missouri did they just don't want to. Caltrans isn't too keen on taking much initiative to widen freeways anymore in counties that aren't actively trying to do like Orange County. It's pretty clear the state just doesn't give a fuck.

[fhmiii]

Ah whatever. Statistics can be used to paint any picture you want. California just had a 100+ billion dollar surplus. They could have funded a huge amount of the SF-LA HSR line. They could have widened I-15 and built the LA-LV HSR line with that and paid for Nevada's portion. Now supposedly there's a deficit. Point is California could get it done just as easily as Missouri did they just don't want to. Caltrans isn't too keen on taking much initiative to widen freeways anymore in counties that aren't actively trying to do like Orange County. It's pretty clear the state just doesn't give a fuck.

Okay, not to get into a political/economic discussion but since your brought it up, California's surplus was due to its extremely progressive income tax system, with particularly high triggers for taxes on high earners and the wealthy, as system that is tremendously volatile.  The budget surplus had more to do with executive bonuses, capital gains, and other "wealth taxes" that boomed in 2021 after the Covid restrictions were loosened but slackened significantly the following year.  It had very little to do with responsible fiscal management.  And then they didn't use that surplus to pay down their debt in any meaningful way.

There's also an issue of political priorities.  If you're going to take on substantially more debt at a substantially higher interest rate, you put it where you think it'll do the most good, politically.  In California, widening highways isn't a priority.  High speed rail and other things are.  If California wasn't in debt at 175% of its annual budget, and therefore a much greater financial risk to lenders, it might be more willing to spend some of that debt on lesser priorities like widening Interstates.

[Plutonic Panda]

So widening a freeway that apparently is in such a need of widening its bought the attention of governors, mayors, and billionaires not to mention the millions of SoCal residents that use it and experience severe congestion isn't a political priority? I just don't buy that. At any rate we're talking a 100 billion dollar surplus. I highly doubt widening I-15 would have cost anywhere near even 1/4 of that.

I rest my case here but I want to add I find your use of the term "progressive"  interesting to say the least.

[fhmiii]

So widening a freeway that apparently is in such a need of widening its bought the attention of governors, mayors, and billionaires not to mention the millions of SoCal residents that use it and experience severe congestion isn't a political priority? I just don't buy that. At any rate we're talking a 100 billion dollar surplus. I highly doubt widening I-15 would have cost anywhere near even 1/4 of that.

I rest my case here but I want to add I find your use of the term "progressive"  interesting to say the least.

"Progressive tax" is the term of art for income tax rates that increase with total taxable source (income, purchases, property, etc.).  It's commonly used throughout the English-speaking world.  The rate increases or "progresses" as the tax source value rises -- as opposed to a flat tax structure, or a "regressive" system that taxes at a higher rate as the value of the taxable source decreases.  There's nothing "interesting" about my use of the word because it's the term is used widely to describe this form of taxation.

As for widening I-15, it might be something most people "recognize is needed" and that some people think for themselves as being "a priority," but isn't a "political priority" because it's not being built while other things are.  Just like widening I-44 is "recognized as a need" and is a "priority" for some in Missouri, but it's not a "political priority" because it's not even going to be studied.

The word "priority" means "first or prior to other things," or if you want the Oxford definition, "the fact or condition of being regarded or treated as more important."  Since other stuff is getting done and these things aren't, then they are by definition not priorit(ies).

We are rapidly moving away from the topic at hand, so if you want to discuss it privately, I invite you to do so now.

[mvak36]

https://www.modot.org/node/29991

Improve I-70 Industry Meeting
Any industry partner is welcome to attend

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has scheduled an Industry Kickoff Information Session for the Improve I-70 Program. Details for this event are provided below. Any industry partner is welcome to attend.  Advanced sign-ups are not needed for this event. This meeting is in person and a virtual option is not being offered.

Date: Monday, July 10

Time: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

    Networking Session: 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Industry Session: 10: a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Location: MoDOT Central District - Muri Room 1511 Missouri Blvd. Jefferson City, MO 65102


Topics to be discussed:

Project overview

Funding
Program goals

Conflict of interest Schedule overview Procurement method(s) Q&A

[afguy]

Stretch of I-70 in St. Charles, Warren counties may be first to be widened under $2.8B upgrade

State highway officials expect to begin construction a year from now on the recently funded $2.8 billion widening of Interstate 70 – and a segment in St. Charles and Warren counties is in the running to be the first phase.

Eric Kopinski, the Missouri Department of Transportation's I-70 program coordinator, said Wednesday that stretches of the cross-state highway in the Columbia and suburban Kansas City areas also are being considered for the initial work.

"One of those, we're hopeful, will be under construction this time next year and then soon after that, every six months we'll be awarding a project that will be pretty substantial in size," he said in an interview outside a meeting of the state Highways and Transportation Commission, which oversees MoDOT.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/stretch-of-i-70-in-st-charles-warren-counties-may-be-first-to-be-widened/article_0adc9fbe-20e6-11ee-aa61-539cb540aa6f.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest