BOONE COUNTY - The Missouri Department of Transportation will officially break ground this week on a project to widen nearly three miles of Route 763 from Big Bear Blvd. to Route 63 in Boone County.

The event will be held on Wednesday, April 16 at 1 p.m. in the parking area of Jason's Frozen Custard Factory, located at 911 Rain Forest Parkway in Columbia. The event will be held rain or shine and is open to the public.

When completed, the new highway will accommodate two northbound lanes and two southbound lanes, separated by a raised median. Each side of the roadway will include six ft. sidewalks and seven ft. shoulders with bike lanes. Four signalized intersections will help traffic flow through the area, along with a roundabout to be constructed at Route VV and Prathersville Road. Utilities will be relocated underground.

MoDOT and the City of Columbia are contributing funding for the project. Approximately 35 percent of the additional right of way needed to widen the highway was conveyed by individuals/businesses to MoDOT without receiving monetary compensation by the Department.

The $13.9 million project will be completed in Fall 2009.

For more information about this project or other transportation matters, the public can call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or log onto www.modot.org.