Interstate 64/70 and U.S. Route 61 Interchange Improvements

Public hearings scheduled for second Improve I-70 project from Warrenton to Wentzville

JEFFERSON CITY – The public is invited to public hearings regarding the Improve I-70: Warrenton to Wentzville project from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3, in Warrenton, and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, in Wentzville. This is the second construction project in MoDOT’s Statewide Improve I-70 Program and will add a third lane of travel in each direction to Interstate 70 from Warrenton to Wentzville. The Warrenton to Wentzville project includes the Improve I-70 funding and additional legislatively designated General Revenue funding. It also includes previously allocated funds in the state’s program for other I-70 and I-64 projects for a total contract cost of $600 million.

These meetings will highlight the basic design plans, construction phasing, schedule, and other detailed information about the project. Construction is expected to start in Spring 2025 and be completed by late 2028.

The open house-style hearings will provide the opportunity for nearby residents, businesses, and travelers to learn about and provide comments regarding the planned improvements. No formal presentation will be made. The public can attend the meetings any time between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The information will be the same at each meeting location. Engineers from the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Improve 70 Alliance contractor team of Emery Sapp and Sons, Clarkson Construction, HNTB, and Bartlett and West will be on hand to answer questions.

Written and recorded oral statements and exhibits can be submitted at the hearing. People can also review materials and make comments on the project website beginning on Monday, Feb. 3, at www.modot.org/improvei70/warrentonwentzville.  All comments must be received by Thursday, March 6.

The meeting details and locations are:

• Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Warrenton High School Commons Area located at 803 Pinckney St. Warrenton, MO 63383.
   
• Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Progress Park Recreation Center located at 968 Meyer Rd. Wentzville, MO 63385.
   

The planned improvements from contractor team includes:

• Constructing a third lane in each direction on I-70 from Warrenton to I-64 in Wentzville, including replacing the existing I-70 lanes with new full-depth concrete pavement.
• Interchange improvements at I-70 and the I-64/Route 61 interchange.
• Interchange and outer road improvements in Foristell, Wright City, Warrenton, and at Route Z.
• Realignment at the railroad bridge on I-70 between Wentzville Parkway and Route Z.
• Addition of a third lane of travel to eastbound and westbound I-64 between I-70 and Route K.
• The team has also committed to keeping two lanes of travel open on I-70 in both directions during peak travel times.

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.

At the public hearing, MoDOT will also have displays regarding bridge and interchange improvements planned at Exit 188, Routes A and B, and Exit 183, Routes E and Y at Jonesburg.  The improvements at these locations were funded through MoDOT’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) prior to receiving the I-70 General Revenue funds.  The projects are anticipated to be awarded in March 2025 with construction occurring in 2025 and 2026.

People with disabilities who require special services or other reasonable accommodations at the public hearing should notify Project Communications Coordinator Lairyn McGregor at 816-607-2152 by Monday, Jan. 27, so arrangements for those services can be made.

What is the current problem?

Motorists experience significant delays and traffic backups navigating this interchange during peak traffic periods. Specifically, westbound I-70 and westbound I-64 experience high levels of traffic congestion during the afternoon rush hour approaching and traveling through the interchange and extending as far west as Wentzville Parkway on I-70. In addition, the current interchange design is outdated as I-70 traffic increases and the western area of St. Charles County has grown exponentially in the last 20 years.

Why is this project needed?

The I-70/I-64 interchange serves a large amount of traffic volume daily, with additional growth anticipated in the future.  Currently, approximately 75,000 vehicles use I-64 south of the interchange daily, while U.S. 61 carries over 60,000 per day.  As both a major east-west interstate of national importance, and a commuter route connecting western St. Charles County to the rest of the St. Louis region, I-70 serves 85,000-90,000 vehicles per day.  A large percentage of existing and future traffic includes tractor trailers, lending to the importance the interchange with respect to freight movement.

During the morning rush hour, traffic is significantly higher along eastbound I-70 and southbound U.S. Route 61. During the evening rush hour, traffic is higher traveling westbound on I-70 and I-64.

The most severe congestion occurs during afternoon drive time at the interchange. Traffic on I-64 westbound is consistently congested between Route 364/Route N and Route K, while congestion on I-70 extends between 2 and 4 miles east of the interchange with the longest backups in the vicinity of Lake St. Louis Blvd.

The afternoon bottleneck causes stop and go traffic on westbound I-70 and I-64, leading to safety issues at the interchange.

From 2015 to 2019, 837 crashes occurred, averaging 167.4 crashes per year. The most common type of crash was rear-ending collisions.

The interchange also experiences several sections where weaving occurs, including westbound I-70 between I-64/U.S. Route 61 and Route Z, I-70 westbound to northbound U.S. 61, and southbound U.S. Route 61 transitions to eastbound I-64.