The safety and economic prosperity of Missourians depends, in part, on an I-70 that grows along with the state and nation. That’s why the Missouri Department of Transportation is working to improve I-70. Today, many portions of the facility are strained beyond capacity and outdated interchange designs which increase delays and dampen economic activity.

Missouri’s FY2024 budget from the General Assembly and supported by Governor Parson provides General Revenue for the costs to plan, design, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate and repair three lanes in each direction on approximately 200 miles of Interstate 70, from Blue Springs to Wentzville.

Next steps:

MoDOT will designate an overall project team to guide the I-70 work across the state. This website will continue to serve as the information source for updates and public input as the plan for design and construction is developed.

Environmental Documents Updated: approximately 1 year

• Environmental documents to be re-evaluated to identify any changes in the road and its conditions, traffic and environmental impacts since the studies were originally completed in 2005. Some sections of I-70 are already underway, but others will have to start now that the full funding has been identified. This process will take about a year to get the documents updated.

Project Development: approximately 1 year

• Project Development will take another year to begin the design process and determine how the work should be broken into segments. MoDOT will work with the private sector on plans to sequence project delivery based on traffic impacts and industry capacity to get the best value.

Construction: approximately 4-5 years

• The project development phase will determine how the 200 miles will be divided up into various sized contracts. It’s expected it will take 4-5 years to complete all the construction contracts dependent upon contractor and material availability.

The infographic below summarizes what’s already under contract or completed, what’s funded in the state’s road and bridge program (the STIP) and in General Revenue.  

Project Goals

The overall goal of the Improve I-70 project across Missouri is “to provide a safe, efficient, environmentally sound and cost-effective transportation facility that responds to corridor needs as well as expectations of a national interstate.”
Specifically, the focus is on the following:

• Roadway Capacity—Increase roadway capacity to improve the general operating conditions and reliability of I-70.
• Traffic Safety—Reduce the number and severity of traffic-related crashes occurring along I-70 across the state.
• Roadway Design Features—Upgrade roadway design features along I-70, including interchanges, roadway alignment and roadway cross sections.
• System Preservation—Preserve the I-70 facility through continued and ongoing rehabilitation and maintenance activities of pavement and bridges.
• Goods Movement—Improve the efficiency of freight movement on I-70.
• Access to Recreational Facilities—Facilitate motorist use of nearby regional facilities through improved accessibility.
• National Security— Maintain the important role the I-70 corridor plays in the nation’s defenses.

In addition, the updated analysis of I-70 will include:

• Transportation Innovation – Upgrade the design to include technology for connectivity, intelligent transportation systems and other emerging transportation innovations.

Governor Parson and the General Assembly have provided a once in a lifetime investment into this critical transportation corridor. These 200 miles of I-70 are some of the first interstate to be built in the country 60 years ago. This is a monumental challenge to deliver, but MoDOT is the transportation expert. Along with our private sector partners in engineering and construction, we will deliver.