I-70 expansion funding added into transportation budget
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Money to expand Interstate 70 was put back into the state budget Tuesday.
The Missouri House Budget Committee met for about a minute Tuesday morning to review the chair's recommendations for four budget bills, including the transportation budget. Rep. Cody Smith's (R-Carthage) recommendations include the full $859 million tabbed by the governor to add an extra lane to I-70 in suburban areas of St. Louis, Kansas City and in Columbia.
"It is what it is, it's going to cost about that much. And hopefully over the course of some years we can pick up some federal assistance," Smith said.
Rep. Peter Merideth (D-St. Louis), the minority leader on the committee, said he and his Democratic colleagues need time to go over the changes, but are glad to see I-70 and other highway projects funded. The budget still needs approval of the full chamber.
"I think there was a lot of question of whether that was going to happen on the house side here, I think it is still probably a negotiating point, uh it will be a bit of leverage but I think there is going to be some wide agreement that some large expenditure needs to happen improving the infrastructure of I-70," Merideth said.
The funds for the part of I-70 that runs through Columbia include a planned $185 million aimed at improving the Highway 63 exit and fixing pavement issues. Another $410 million would go toward creating new bridges, replacing pavement and adding a new lane in both directions. Those lanes would be about 13 miles long.
Parts of the interstate that run through Columbia see an average of 50,100 vehicles daily, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Tom Crawford, president of the Missouri Truckers Association, said the association has been in support of a six-lane expansion for over a decade now.
"Columbia in and of itself has grown to the point where it is a challenge for folks that live in the Columbia area," Crawford said.
Once construction starts, it could still take another seven to nine years for the expansion to be complete.
