Missouri has taken a significant step forward in its ambitious plan to enhance Interstate 70 (I-70) across the state by awarding the first project, valued at $405 million, to a design-build team comprising Millstone Weber and Jacobs. This marks the initial phase of a broader program aimed at widening and upgrading nearly 200 miles of the highway between the Kansas City and St. Louis metropolitan areas, with a total budget of $2.8 billion.
The scope of the inaugural project entails the addition of a third lane in both directions and the concrete paving of all lanes along a 20-mile stretch of I-70 between Columbia and Kingdom City, Missouri. Additionally, the project includes significant infrastructure improvements such as reconfiguring the U.S. 63 interchange with the integration of two new ramps and four roundabouts, alongside the reconstruction of the U.S. 54 interchange featuring two new bridges. Furthermore, plans involve widening the inside and outside shoulders of the highway.
Competing against another prequalified team, I-70 Constructors, consisting of Emery Sapp & Sons and Capital Paving and Construction, the Millstone Weber-Jacobs team secured the project based on the strength of their proposal. Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) officials highlighted the winning team’s comprehensive understanding of the engineering challenges and the broader significance of enhancing I-70 at both local and national levels.
Bob Leingang, Vice President and Chief Engineer at Millstone Weber based in St. Charles, Missouri, emphasized the transformative impact of the project, stating, “This initiative is of paramount importance to all commuters and travellers along this vital stretch of interstate and its interchanges.”
Construction is slated to commence in the upcoming summer, with completion anticipated by late 2027, according to MoDOT. Subsequent procurement processes for the second and third projects, estimated at $400-500 million and $200-300 million respectively, are scheduled to begin in the coming months, with the aim of awarding contracts by the following spring.
The entire program is set to be completed by 2030, with contract awards for the remaining projects planned through 2027. While Missouri is primarily funding the projects, a recent grant of $92.8 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation represents a significant contribution towards the initiative, described by Governor Mike Parson as the largest transportation grant ever awarded to the state.
