Drivers share traffic concerns ahead of MoDOT closing U.S. 63 northbound ramps at Grindstone Parkway on Monday

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Transportation is scheduled to shut down the U.S. 63 northbound on and off ramps at Grindstone Parkway in Columbia on Monday, according to a MoDOT press release.

The closure is expected to last until the end of June while crews work to build the on and off ramps to the new northbound loop, according to the release.

The portion of East Haven Road after the Grindstone ramps and Lenoir Street will also remain closed during construction for electrical work, drainage improvements, roadway reconstruction and new traffic lights on New Haven Road, according to the release. The road is expected to reopen when the U.S. 63 ramps open as well.

Columbia resident Randy Nichols tells ABC 17 News he is worried it will create traffic.

"It's probably going to cause a lot of traffic in other areas until they get finished, so it'll probably be a while," Nichols said. "If it's for improvement, I'm all about it. I guess you have to get through the storm to get to the calm." 

He also lives near the St. Charles road overpass, which was demolished about a week ago. Nichols said it now takes him an extra seven to eight minutes to get to work because he can't cross the bridge anymore.

Interstate 70 is also undergoing construction as MODOT works to widen the highway to three lanes in both directions from St. Louis to Kansas City as part of the Improve I-70 project.

University of Missouri student Leighton Morris occasionally makes the trip back home to St. Louis and takes I-70 the whole way. He said the construction can make driving difficult.

"It's like one lane the whole way, pretty much, but sometimes it's better, sometimes there's two lanes," Morris said. "It's super tight, I swear. I keep thinking the semis are going to hit me every single time."

Ashland resident Kaz Hazel said she hopes the construction and everything that comes with it will turn I-70 into a faster road.

"Hopefully, it helps to make it a lot faster with the roundabouts and everything that they're creating. It looks really cool from the stuff I've seen," Hazel said. "It is very much chaotic right now, where we're getting the backups on Broadway and all."