I-57 Approved

[abqtraveler]

I went through the Missouri governor budget veto line items and noticed he removed the money for the land acquisition/utility move for the US-67/I-57 work south of Poplar Bluff.

Did Governor Parson give a reason why he vetoed funding for that stretch of Future I-57?  Guessing it's a section near the state line and he wants to wait until Arkansas is ready to move forward on their piece so that the highway doesn't sit as a cul-de-sac at the state line for years.

[The Ghostbuster]

Or maybe the governor opposes the project, and would rather spend the money on other projects, like widening Interstate 70.

[edwaleni]

I went through the Missouri governor budget veto line items and noticed he removed the money for the land acquisition/utility move for the US-67/I-57 work south of Poplar Bluff.

Did Governor Parson give a reason why he vetoed funding for that stretch of Future I-57?  Guessing it's a section near the state line and he wants to wait until Arkansas is ready to move forward on their piece so that the highway doesn't sit as a cul-de-sac at the state line for years.

No, it used the same language that was used for all the other vetoes.  To paraphrase "we over X billion in the budget, therefore I am saving Y dollars by removing this line item".

[MikieTimT]

I went through the Missouri governor budget veto line items and noticed he removed the money for the land acquisition/utility move for the US-67/I-57 work south of Poplar Bluff.

Did Governor Parson give a reason why he vetoed funding for that stretch of Future I-57?  Guessing it's a section near the state line and he wants to wait until Arkansas is ready to move forward on their piece so that the highway doesn't sit as a cul-de-sac at the state line for years.

No, it'll be the opposite instead.  Just like I-49.

[The Ghostbuster]

Even if they did complete the freeway between Walnut Ridge and Poplar Bluff, there would still be the matter of eliminating the at-grade intersections along the US 60 corridor. Just like completing Interstate 49 between Interstate 30 in Texarkana, AR and Interstate 40 east of Fort Smith, AR, the road to extending Interstate 57 from Interstate 55 in Sikeston, MO and Interstate 40 in Little Rock, AR will be a long, and gradual process.

[MikieTimT]

Arkansas is getting the process going on the 2 Corning bypasses, which is how Arkansas piecemeal develops Interstates.  Build something with local utility and fills in gaps with Super-2's on 4-lane ROW.  At the end of the day, it'll be Arkansas getting to the border first as it actually is willing to fund roadbuilding, although at a glacial pace and at the expense of actually maintaining them.  It really needs to offload more mileage to cities and counties, but they're broke too and won't take them unless trading a 4/5-laning or bridge building project in return.

[sprjus4]

Even if they did complete the freeway between Walnut Ridge and Poplar Bluff, there would still be the matter of eliminating the at-grade intersections along the US 60 corridor. Just like completing Interstate 49 between Interstate 30 in Texarkana, AR and Interstate 40 east of Fort Smith, AR, the road to extending Interstate 57 from Interstate 55 in Sikeston, MO and Interstate 40 in Little Rock, AR will be a long, and gradual process.

It doesn't matter... completing the freeway would finish a four lane link, with most of it being freeway and that last segment of US-60 in Missouri being 65 mph divided highway with no to minimal traffic signals (not sure exactly). It will make a difference and may incentivize drivers to use it instead of I-55 and I-40. Right now, there's 40+ miles of two lane remaining.

[edwaleni]

"Parsons will sign House Bill 4, an appropriations bill governing the Department of Revenue and Department of Transportation passed in May. It specifies one-time funding of $50 million "for protection of the public against hazards existing at railroad crossings,"

Here is where the planning dollars went.

[Revive 755]

It doesn't matter... completing the freeway would finish a four lane link, with most of it being freeway and that last segment of US-60 in Missouri being 65 mph divided highway with no to minimal traffic signals (not sure exactly).

There are no signals on US 60 between the eastern US 67 interchange and I-55.

[mvak36]

"Parsons will sign House Bill 4, an appropriations bill governing the Department of Revenue and Department of Transportation passed in May. It specifies one-time funding of $50 million "for protection of the public against hazards existing at railroad crossings,"

Here is where the planning dollars went.

Honestly I'm ok with that. Especially after that Amtrak accident last year. Hopefully they can close off or put gates at most of the at grade crossings.

EDIT: They're going to release a new railroad safety crossing plan on Thursday. https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/investigations/year-after-amtrak-crash-missouri-set-to-announce-railroad-safety-crossing-plan

[I-39]

Has Missouri started construction on Phases 1B and 2 of their I-57 project? Those are funded IIRC.

[edwaleni]

Has Missouri started construction on Phases 1B and 2 of their I-57 project? Those are funded IIRC.

Groundbreaking was pushed out to August 2023. But I haven't seen any press releases on it.

[bwana39]

"Parsons will sign House Bill 4, an appropriations bill governing the Department of Revenue and Department of Transportation passed in May. It specifies one-time funding of $50 million "for protection of the public against hazards existing at railroad crossings,"

Here is where the planning dollars went.

That is a lot of money. DO you realize how few crossing improvements it will fund?

[Road Hog]

"Parsons will sign House Bill 4, an appropriations bill governing the Department of Revenue and Department of Transportation passed in May. It specifies one-time funding of $50 million "for protection of the public against hazards existing at railroad crossings,"

Here is where the planning dollars went.

That is a lot of money. DO you realize how few crossing improvements it will fund?

Three or four grade-separated overpasses and $50M goes poof just like that, to your point.

[Ellie]

"Parsons will sign House Bill 4, an appropriations bill governing the Department of Revenue and Department of Transportation passed in May. It specifies one-time funding of $50 million "for protection of the public against hazards existing at railroad crossings,"

Here is where the planning dollars went.

That is a lot of money. DO you realize how few crossing improvements it will fund?

Three or four grade-separated overpasses and $50M goes poof just like that, to your point.

Presumably most of this would be installing advance warning lights at rural crossings, which are much cheaper (and would've likely prevented the Amtrak derailment).

[MikieTimT]

https://www.kait8.com/2023/09/21/work-expected-begin-future-i-57-2024/

Corning Bypass starts next year with the march to the border to start in 2026.

[Tomahawkin]

Nice! It's about time! 10 years too late IMO. Now let's get a Buc'ees along that stretch to enhance economic development

[MikieTimT]

Nice! It's about time! 10 years too late IMO. Now let's get a Buc'ees along that stretch to enhance economic development

Hopefully with Arkansas doing the northern portion first will avoid an I-49 repeat with Missouri on their funding of their portion of I-57.  Maybe lessons have been learned.

[Road Hog]

Finally some movement. I fear they'll do the Pocahontas bypass last because of the expense.

[MikieTimT]

Finally some movement. I fear they'll do the Pocahontas bypass last because of the expense.

When looking at the GIS map in the ARDOT meeting materials for the preferred alternative route, the only way I could think of to break up the remaining portions after these first two northern sections would be to do the entire southern 1/3rd as a single section from the stub end up to Hite/Gazaway Rd. to accomplish a bypass of Pocahontas.  Every other exit in between is almost 2 miles away from US-67, so it wouldn't make any sense to me to add that much distance for the bypass, unless the slog through Pocahontas is just that bad and they can't find funds for that big of a build at one time.

[Road Hog]

Nice! It's about time! 10 years too late IMO. Now let's get a Buc'ees along that stretch to enhance economic development

Based on their building patterns in North Texas, I expect new Buc-ee's to be located closer to population centers, i.e. in the Beebe-Searcy area on Future I-57. There is nothing at the McRae exit so that would be perfect.

[Bobby5280]

Buc-ee's is pretty selective on where they build their super stores. If Buc-ee's were to open a location in Arkansas I would expect them to build first at a location along I-40 -probably somewhere between Little Rock and Memphis. It's also possible they could open a location in NWA in or near the cluster of cities there.

Buc-ee's is in the late stages of construction on their first stores in Colorado and Missouri (North of Denver and in Springfield).

I'm still wondering what the senior management at Buc-ee's has against Oklahoma. The company is opening stores in states across the Deep South. They even have plans to open a location in Ohio. Oklahoma is next door to Texas, Buc-ee's home state. The OKC metro is a major hub point on the Interstate highway system. I can think of at least half a dozen areas on the fringes of the OKC metro where a Buc-ee's location would do killer business. Either Oklahoma has some backwards regulations the company doesn't like or maybe the guy in charge of Buc-ee's is a hardcore Texas football fan and has a grudge against the OU Sooners. Who knows? They're leaving money on the table either way.

[edwaleni]

Buc-ee's is pretty selective on where they build their super stores. If Buc-ee's were to open a location in Arkansas I would expect them to build first at a location along I-40 -probably somewhere between Little Rock and Memphis. It's also possible they could open a location in NWA in or near the cluster of cities there.

Buc-ee's is in the late stages of construction on their first stores in Colorado and Missouri (North of Denver and in Springfield).

I'm still wondering what the senior management at Buc-ee's has against Oklahoma. The company is opening stores in states across the Deep South. They even have plans to open a location in Ohio. Oklahoma is next door to Texas, Buc-ee's home state. The OKC metro is a major hub point on the Interstate highway system. I can think of at least half a dozen areas on the fringes of the OKC metro where a Buc-ee's location would do killer business. Either Oklahoma has some backwards regulations the company doesn't like or maybe the guy in charge of Buc-ee's is a hardcore Texas football fan and has a grudge against the OU Sooners. Who knows? They're leaving money on the table either way.

Buc-ee's has nothing against anyone. The issue is that the owner of Buc-ee's is highly leveraged to finance his expansion. The cash flow is excellent at each location that opens and when interest rates took a turn upward, the banks slowed it down. The issue for Buc-ee's now is merely copy cats. Wally's and Rocket's are duplicating the concept and opening outlets as well. So at this point they are just trying to stay ahead. Therefore the locations have to be very specific.

[Bobby5280]

When any Texas-based business expands outside of Texas usually Oklahoma is one of the first places they build. In the case of Buc-ee's, when they started building new locations outside of Texas it has been anywhere but Oklahoma.

There are now four locations in Alabama, at least two in Florida, two in Georgia, two in Tennessee, one in South Carolina and one in Kentucky (another KY project was recently cancelled). As I said before, their first locations in Colorado and Missouri are in the final stages of construction. Buc-ee's has proposed a North Carolina location in Mebane off I-40/85. They also have a location proposed in Dayton, Ohio near the I-70/OH-235 interchange. That's 16 locations in 9 states outside of Texas. That's a bit much for Oklahoma to be left out "accidentally."

Buc-ee's is also building some new locations in Texas. Construction is starting on a new world's largest convenience store in Luling, TX. That one will replace an existing Buc-ee's location which was an early version of their super store concept. They're also finally going forward with an Amarillo location. When all that work is finished there will be at least four Buc-ee's locations along I-40 -but none in Oklahoma.

I know Buc-ee's is picky about the locations where it chooses to build. The outer fringes of the OKC metro have a lot of open spots along I-35 or I-40 where a Buc-ee's location would do very well. It really seems weird to me they would build a location off I-44 in Springfield, MO before building anything in Oklahoma on the outskirts of the Tulsa or OKC metros.

[edwaleni]

When any Texas-based business expands outside of Texas usually Oklahoma is one of the first places they build. In the case of Buc-ee's, when they started building new locations outside of Texas it has been anywhere but Oklahoma.

There are now four locations in Alabama, at least two in Florida, two in Georgia, two in Tennessee, one in South Carolina and one in Kentucky (another KY project was recently cancelled). As I said before, their first locations in Colorado and Missouri are in the final stages of construction. Buc-ee's has proposed a North Carolina location in MeBane off I-40/85. They also have a location proposed in Dayton, Ohio near the I-70/OH-235 interchange. That's 16 locations in 9 states outside of Texas. That's a bit much for Oklahoma to be left out "accidentally."

Buc-ee's is also building some new locations in Texas. Construction is starting on a new world's largest convenience store in Luling, TX. That one will replace an existing Buc-ee's location which was an early version of their super store concept. They're also finally going forward with an Amarillo location. When all that work is finished there will be at least four Buc-ee's locations along I-40 -but none in Oklahoma.

I know Buc-ee's is picky about the locations where it chooses to build. The outer fringes of the OKC metro have a lot of open spots along I-35 or I-40 where a Buc-ee's location would do very well. It really seems weird to me they would build a location off I-44 in Springfield, MO before building anything in Oklahoma on the outskirts of the Tulsa or OKC metros.

Email them and ask them. There maybe a reason no one is aware of.