The Missouri Department of Transportation held a public meeting from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19 to discuss a proposed project to upgrade U.S. Route 67 in Butler County to four lanes in preparation for Future I-57. 

The proposed project includes upgrading Route 67 to interstate standards from the Route 160/158 interchange south of Poplar Bluff, Missouri to the Missouri/Arkansas state line. The entire project limits are broken down into five phases: Phases 1A and 1B, as well as Phases 2-4.

The public meeting focused on options for future access at Neelyville, Missouri and Phase 3, which includes upgrading a five-mile section of Route 67 to four lanes from County Road 352 to near County Road 272.

Phases 1A, 1B and 2 are funded. Phase 1A received funding through Governor Mike Parson’s cost share program, and construction to reconfigure the Route 160/158 interchange kicked-off in late August.

Phases 1B and 2 were funded thanks to a cost share between MoDOT and the City of Poplar Bluff. This was made possible after Poplar Bluff voters approved a ballot measure led by the Highway 67 Corporation to help fund the expansion in August 2019.

Funding is not yet secured for Phases 3 and 4; schedules will be determined as funding becomes available.