Record Investments Made in Transportation Infrastructure
In July, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approved the largest Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) to date, setting in motion a record $14 billion-dollar investment in the state’s transportation infrastructure. The FY2024-2028 program encompasses more than 1,500 projects planned for the July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2028 timeframe. MoDOT, in conjunction with state and regional planning partners, developed the plan using federal and state revenues. The program, released in June for public review, includes:
- $10.4 billion in contractor awards for road and bridge construction, averaging $2.1 billion per year.
- $3 billion in General Revenue funds to improve I-70, fix low-volume minor roads and upgrade railroad safety crossings.
- Plans for maintenance and upgrades to roads, corridors and bridges.
- Begins to account for $1.2 billion to handle the impacts of inflation on previously funded projects.
An additional $4.7 billion in road and bridge needs were identified as part of this year’s High-Priority Unfunded Needs list, developed with statewide planning partners. The list is part of a broader, long-term unfunded needs list, totaling $11 billion over 10 years. The list also identifies $1 billion in unfunded multimodal needs.
We will do the best we can with what we have for as long as we can.
TAKING CARE OF OUR SYSTEM
$50 Million in Total MoDOT Savings
With 33,808 miles of state highway to manage, taking care of our signs and signals is a big challenge. By reassessing our road sign needs, modifying sign design and installations, converting signal and roadway lighting to LED, merging multiple software contracts into one and scrutinizing every aspect of traffic signal design and operation, $50 million is sent back over time to take care of our system.
COMPETITIVE FEDERAL DISCCRETIONARY GRANTS FUND
Federal discretionary grants have infused much-needed funding into Missouri’s transportation system several times over the last decade. These competitive grants are awarded to states who show a project has national or regional significance in the improvement of safety, efficiency, and the movement of freight and people in and across rural and urban areas. Since 2009, MoDOT has been awarded $189 million in Competitive Federal Discretionary Grants. MoDOT’s largest such grant was the $81.2 million INFRA Grant award in 2019 for the Lance Corporal Leon Deraps I-70 Missouri River Bridge near Rocheport, a project vital to both Missouri and the nation.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
$2.1 Billion in Funding from Partners and State Proprerty Leasing and Sales
Communities contribute to state highway projects to receive needed upgrades faster. If custom, decorative work is desired, those costs are also contributed. In the last 15 years, locals shared $2.0 billion in additional local or federal funding to MoDOT projects and, by managing our right-of-way, put $64 million to roads and bridges.
USING TECHNOLOGY TO DELIVER PROJECTS
$18.5 Million in Total MoDOT Savings
Using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to streamline survey costs, LiDAR instruments are used to deliver needed topographical data to highway designers to create roadway plans. This method allows for safer, faster and more accurate collection of data on a large scale and is shown to be 56% less expensive than traditional aerial and land survey. Since implementing in 2007, this technology has saved taxpayers $18.5 million. MoDOT has been a pioneer in embracing this technology and expanding the program each year. MoDOT won the 2018 and 2019 ACEC Engineering Excellence Grand award in partnership with their consultant.
Building the Future
The year 2023 saw the Missouri Department of Transportation make headway on several major projects, including the completion of multiple statewide programs.
The FARM Bridge Program (Fixing Access to Rural Missouri) completed its last bridge project in October. The program replaced 31 rural bridges in northern Missouri thanks to a $20.8 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration and $5.2 million from MoDOT. The program targeted rural bridges that were weight-restricted, in poor condition, on timber pile or have one-lane but carry two-way traffic.
In December, work concluded on the I-270 North Design-Build Project, which brought much needed improvements along Interstate 270 North from James S. McDonnell Boulevard to Bellefontaine Road in St. Louis.
The $278 million project, which kicked off on April 20, 2022, brought reconstructed interchanges and additional driving lanes to help alleviate congestion, improved accessibility for bicyclists and pedestrians, an improved outer road system and improved bridges.
Also completed in December was Gov. Mike Parson’s Focus on Bridges Program. The final contracts were awarded in early 2023, and construction on the final bridges came to a close at the end of the year. In all, more than $353 million was invested into 250 bridge repairs and/ or replacements across the state since the program’s initiation in 2019.
In Kansas City, construction of the new U.S. Route 169 Buck O’Neil Bridge continued, with the closure of the southbound lanes downtown taking place in February. The closure – the most impactful of the project – will last until fall 2024. The project broke ground on June 23, 2021, with construction beginning in July of that year.
The bridge connects downtown Kansas City and interstate routes with the communities north of the river and sees upwards of 50,000 vehicles per day. Construction is scheduled for completion in December of 2024 at a cost of $220 million.
Tying interstate travel together is the Lance Corporal Leon Deraps I-70 Missouri River Bridge at Rocheport. The project, which includes two new bridges in place of the old one, saw a flurry of activity throughout the year, including the opening of the new westbound bridge in July, and the demolition of the former bridge in September.
The approximately $240 million project will provide twice the width of the old bridge once complete and will have a lifespan of 100 years. The project is expected to be completed in December 2024 with the new eastbound bridge open to traffic.