Districts Impacted
The current U.S. Route 63 corridor from south of U.S. Route 50 to the Maries River has a history of fatal and serious injury crashes. In the past 10 years, this corridor has seen 190 crashes that have resulted in seven fatalities, 12 serious injuries, and 80 minor injuries. To address the high rate of fatal and serious injury crashes, MoDOT is designing a new alignment for U.S. Route 63 while minimizing the impact on people, property, and the environment.
The existing U.S. Route 63 is primarily a two-lane roadway with 12-foot driving lanes and four-foot shoulders. The corridor studied is characterized by rolling hills with numerous sharp curves, driveways, and access points that contribute to uneven traffic flow, which increases the potential for high-crash rates.
MoDOT is in the early stages of designing a new alignment for U.S. Route 63 along the preferred alternative corridor, as identified in the 2009 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and reaffirmed in the 2025 EIS re-evaluation. The proposed new road would be a four-lane divided highway connected to Westphalia via an interchange.
Public hearing
An open-house style public meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, at the Westphalia Knights of Columbus from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Members of the project team will be on hand to provide information, receive direct feedback, and answer questions from the community. There will be no formal presentation, so members of the public can come and go as they please. By participating and commenting, the public can help MoDOT determine what best serves the needs of the roughly 8,000 motorists who use the corridor on an average day while being responsible stewards of available funding.
PROJECT PROGRESS
In 2006, U.S. Route 63 from U.S. Route 50 in Osage County to Rolla in Phelps County was ranked second out of 40 projects for future transportation needs by MoDOT and state planning partners. Subsequently, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was conducted for this 47-mile section of U.S. Route 63. The EIS was completed in 2009 and identified the preferred alternative for improvements to this stretch of highway, divided into several regional sections.
The alternative corridors were evaluated based on public input, engineering, right-of-way requirements, environmental impacts, cultural resources, and construction costs. The EIS also considered leaving the existing corridor as is; however, that would not address the need to improve safety.
More information: https://www.modot.org/projects/us-route-63-environmental-impact-study-osage-maries-and-phelps-counties
As a result of collaborations with local planning partners, a new alignment for U.S. Route 63 from U.S. Route 50 to the Maries River (Section 1 of the EIS) was the first to move forward to a project due to its high rate of fatal and serious injury crashes.
This new alignment was included in Tier II of MoDOT’s High Priority Unfunded Needs in 2019, 2021, and 2022. As additional funding was made available for the 2023-2027 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), this need moved forward as a construction project.
More about the High Priority Unfunded Need process is available at www.modot.org/unfundedneeds.
The original EIS for this section of U.S. Route 63 underwent a re-evaluation that was completed and approved by the Federal Highway Administration in June 2025. A National Environmental Policy Act re-evaluation was necessary because existing conditions, possible solutions, potential impacts, and related mitigation measures may have changed since the 2009 EIS.
Based on requests by local residents, MoDOT reconsidered one of the options not selected as the preferred alternative during the original study. The analysis concluded there were no notable differences, as the optional segment considered during the original EIS did not present a less impactful alternative. As a result, no changes were made to the preferred alternative.
Based on the approved EIS, MoDOT is designing a new alignment for U.S. Route 63 in Osage County with the goal of improving safety while minimizing the impact on people, property, and the environment. These improvements will require right-of-way acquisition along with temporary and permanent easements.
The estimated cost of engineering, right of way, and construction is $83.7 million, subject to change.
During the four-week comment period running Aug. 6 – Sept. 4, 2025, the community and interested parties will have multiple avenues to learn about, ask questions, and submit input regarding the proposed realignment.
- In-person - An open-house-style public hearing will be held Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Westphalia Knights of Columbus located at 819 Highway 63 in Westphalia. The project team will be on hand to answer questions, provide information, and receive input about the project. There will be no formal presentation, so attendees may come and go as they please at any time during the advertised hours.
- Online - All meeting exhibits will be available on this website, and feedback may be submitted using the form below.
- By email – Send comments to CDCR@modot.mo.gov with the subject line: U.S. Route 63 realignment in Osage County.
- By traditional mail – Comments may be mailed to Missouri Department of Transportation, 1511 Missouri Boulevard, Jefferson City, MO 65109, postmarked by Sept. 4, 2025. Please reference: U.S. Route 63 realignment in Osage County.
The project is expected to be part of MoDOT's fall 2027 letting, when contractors submit competitive bids. If awarded by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, a notice to proceed date will also be given. That is the earliest date the contractor may begin work.
Construction could begin as early as fall 2027 and be completed in December 2029.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What initiated this project?
In 2006, MoDOT and state planning partners presented 40 projects to address future transportation needs and ranked U.S. Route 63 from U.S. Route 50 in Osage County to Rolla in Phelps County as the second-highest need. Subsequently, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was completed in 2009.
Local planning partners reaffirmed the U.S. Route 63 from U.S. Route 50 to the Maries River segment (Section 1 of the EIS) as a high priority for the region. As a result, it was included in Tier II of MoDOT’s High Priority Unfunded Needs in 2019, 2021, and 2022.
As additional funding was made available for the 2023-2027 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), this need moved forward as a construction project. This initiated a re-evaluation of the 2009 EIS, which was completed and approved by the Federal Highway Administration in June 2025.
Why is it necessary to realign the corridor?
This project will realign U.S. Route 63 from south of U.S. Route 50 to the Maries River, expanding the current two-lane highway to a four-lane divided highway, in order to address safety concerns. In the past 10 years, this corridor has seen 190 crashes that have resulted in seven fatalities, 12 serious injuries, and 80 minor injuries.
Will this project expand the highway?
Yes. The existing two-lane roadway with 12-foot driving lanes would be upgraded to a four-lane divided highway connected to Westphalia via an interchange.
Why not add a center turn lane to the existing highway through Westphalia?
With more than 8,000 average daily travelers, the existing U.S. Route 63 has more traffic than is ideal for a two-lane highway. Adding a center turn lane would not help with the number of vehicles on the road. While it would slightly reduce the number of conflict points, it would not reduce right-angle (T-bone) crashes, which pose the most risk for serious and fatal injuries.
Why is there no direct access to Missouri Route 133?
Direct access from the proposed U.S. Route 63 and the existing Route 133 was considered. Though multiple options for direct access were looked at, none moved forward due to safety considerations and increased right-of-way impact.
Building an interchange at Route 133 would involve changing the alignment of Route 133, building excessively long ramps, and disrupting more right of way than the current proposal.
How will this realignment improve safety?
The proposed new alignment of U.S. Route 63 will improve safety by adding additional lanes and increasing roadway capacity for the more than 8,000 travelers who use the road each day, reducing the number of sharp curves, and minimizing the number of conflict points.
How will traffic be impacted during construction?
Traffic impacts will not be determined until the new alignment is further along in the design process.
Who can I contact with further questions?
You may email cdcr@modot.mo.gov or call us at 888 ASK MODOT (1-888-275-6636). Please reference U.S. Route 63 realignment in Osage County on your inquiries.
How can I stay updated on the project’s progress?
Sign up for project-specific updates using the form below.
Project News
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Public hearing on realigning U.S. Route 63 in Osage County Thursday evening
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo – The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is reminding motorists and local residents of public hearing this week and ongoing comment period regarding a proposed roadway realignment.
The current U.S. Route 63 corridor fr...