More road closures, traffic changes coming to Boone, Callaway counties

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Drivers in Boone and Callaway counties should prepare for several road closures and traffic changes as construction projects continue across Mid-Missouri.

The Missouri Department of Transportation announced Friday that crews will make several changes to traffic patterns beginning this week.

While drivers will have to navigate more construction, there is some good news ahead. MoDOT said the St. Charles Road Bridge is expected to reopen next week after it was demolished in April.

I-70 traffic changes in Callaway County

Drivers traveling on I-70 through Callaway County will see a new traffic pattern starting on Friday night.

Eastbound traffic will shift into the newly paved median between Callaway County Route M and Highway in Kingdom City. The shift will allow crews to begin reconstructing the existing eastbound lanes.

Eastbound I-70 will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Lanes will be narrowed to 10 feet, and the speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph.

Drivers should also expect limited access to Exits 144 and 148 for the next several months, MoDOT announced. The ramp from Exit 144 to eastbound I-70 will close during the traffic shift. The eastbound I-70 ramp to Exit 148 will also be closed for about two months, per MoDOT.

For some Mid-Missouri drivers, the continued construction has become part of their daily commute. Brooklyn Strickland, who travels through several Mid-Missouri communities for work, said the construction can be stressful.

"Especially having a job that you have eight counties that you have to travel to,” Strickland said. “So I'm going in between Jeff City, Kingdom City, Audrain and Mexico," she said.

Route H is closed west of Fulton to replace the bridge deck over Middle River. MoDOT said drivers should use Route J and Highway 54 to get around the closure. The project is scheduled to be completed next month.

North Outer Road 70 is closed at Cedar Creek, west of Route J near mile-marker 136.6. Signs are posted ahead of the closure to alert drivers and direct them to use an alternate route. The closure is expected to remain in place through January.

Additional closures in Boone County

Drivers in Boone County should also be aware of additional road closures.

I-70 Drive Southeast is closed from just west of Woodridge Drive to Glenstone Drive while crews work on a new underpass. The project is expected to continue into January 2027. The entrance to Woodridge Drive from I-70 Drive Southeast is also closed.

MoDOT says the westbound I-70 ramps at Exit 117 -- which connect to Routes J and O -- are also closed. Those ramp closures are expected to remain in place through the end of November. MoDOT is advising drivers to use alternate routes and plan for additional travel time while the construction is underway.

Peyton Cooper recently moved to Columbia and said navigating the city has required him to stay more alert while driving.

“I haven't known Columbia without the construction, so I can't really talk about what it was like before,” Cooper said. “But coming from where I came from, I do have to pay attention a lot more, and it always seems like there's some kind of hold-up or detour.”

The agency also said it still plans to reopen the Providence Road Bridge by late October.