JEFFERSON CITY – Contractors with the Missouri Department of Transportation will be performing core drilling operations in both directions of Interstate 70 between U.S. Route 54 and U.S. Route 63 beginning Monday, March 18. The core drilling will require intermittent closures of a single lane of I-70 between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., Monday through Friday, for approximately six weeks. Work will begin in the westbound lanes, followed by the eastbound lanes.
This work is part of the design process ahead of construction on Improve I-70: Columbia to Kingdom City, the first project in MoDOT’s Statewide Improve I-70 Program. Core drilling allows for a detailed examination of the layers of roadway and supporting geology below the roadway surface. By studying the samples obtained in the cores, the designers can make informed decisions on design and material elements for the engineering plans to expand I-70 to three lanes in each direction. Construction of this first section of I-70 between Columbia and Kingdom City is scheduled to begin in summer 2024 with an anticipated completion in late 2027.
Improve I-70: Columbia to Kingdom City includes new concrete pavement on all three lanes of I-70 in each direction for the 20-mile section between Columbia and Kingdom City and improved interchange designs at the U.S. 63 and U.S. 54 interchanges at I-70. Additionally, the first awarded contract proposal includes:
- Improvements at the U.S. 63 and I-70 interchange:
- Two new direct connection ramps (northbound U.S. 63 to westbound I-70 and eastbound I-70 to southbound U.S. 63).
- Four new roundabouts.
- Improvements at the U.S. 54 and I-70 interchange with two new bridges and a new and improved interchange.
Missouri’s FY2024 budget from the General Assembly signed into law by Governor Parson provides $2.8 billion in General Revenue for the costs to build a third lane of I-70 across the state. The program will plan, design, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, and add a third lane in each direction on nearly 200 miles of I-70, from Blue Springs to Wentzville. For more information on the Improve I-70 Program, visit www.modot.org/improvei70.
For more information, call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org. To receive the latest statewide news and text alerts, signup for e-updates.
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