Express Lane - MoDOT hosts Improve I-70 ribbon-cutting ceremony

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MoDOT hosts ribbon-cutting for Improve I-70 milestone

Ceremony celebrates first segment of new pavement completed

On Nov. 3, MoDOT and its Improve I-70 team hosted a celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony in Columbia to commemorate a project milestone for Improve I-70: Columbia to Kingdom City.

This event allowed invited guests to safely walk on the new pavement in a seven-mile section, see the project progress firsthand and celebrate the end of construction for this segment.

Pictured left to right: Improve I-70 Program Director Eric Kopinski, MSHP Major Justin McCollough, former MHTC Chairman Robert Brinkmann, Millstone Weber Senior Project Manager Brandy Broeckling and MoDOT Director Ed Hassinger.

Overnight on Nov. 6, crews shifted westbound traffic out of the median and onto the newly paved lanes, but for the safety of the traveling public and crews working on the ground, this completed section of I-70 will remain two lanes in each direction while construction is ongoing. Crews continue to build the permanent concrete barrier that will separate the three westbound lanes from the three eastbound lanes. The barrier wall is anticipated to be completed later this month.

Improve I-70: Columbia to Kingdom City is the first in a series of projects within MoDOT’s Statewide Improve I-70 Program and will add a third lane of travel in each direction to I-70 between U.S. Route 63 in Columbia and U.S. Route 54 in Kingdom City, as well as make interchange improvements at the I-70 interchanges at both U.S. 63 and U.S. 54. The entire 20-mile project is scheduled to be completed in late 2027 with total program completion anticipated in late 2030.

Crash Responder Safety Week tells drivers "Safety Starts With You"

This year's Crash Responder Safety Week runs Nov. 17-21 and marks the 10th year agencies have collaborated to raise awareness about traffic incident responder safety. MoDOT reminds motorists about Missouri's Move Over Law, which requires drivers to change lanes or slow down when approaching emergency vehicles with lights flashing. Emergency responders put their lives at risk every day when clearing crashes and roadway incidents.

MoDOT hosts summit to learn about TSMO tools and strategies

In October, MoDOT team members statewide gathered in Jefferson City for the first ever Transportation Systems Management & Operations (TSMO) Summit. TSMO focuses on optimizing systems and strategies to get travelers to their destinations in the best way possible. The summit allowed employees from different divisions and regions to learn how to best implement new TSMO tools and strategies. MoDOT shared a video about the summit.

MoDOT asks public to participate in wildlife vehicle collision study

MoDOT and the Missouri Department of Conservation obtained grant funding from the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program to conduct Missouri's first wildlife vehicle collision hotspot study. The study aims to identify where wildlife vehicle collisions occur most and ranks the road segments to develop future mitigation efforts. Road users are encouraged to help report wildlife incidents using the Roadkill Observations and Data System (ROaDS).

Reminder: Vote daily for Focus on Bridges to win national award

MoDOT's Focus on Bridges program took first place in the 2025 America’s Transportation Awards regional competition and is now in the running nationally for the Grand Prize and the People’s Choice Award. The People’s Choice Award is decided by public vote, with winners announced at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' annual meeting. Click here to vote for the Focus on Bridges program each day until voting closes Nov. 17.