With approval of the funding of a major expansion of Interstate 70 to six lanes across most of Missouri from St. Louis to Kansas City in the offing, Parson said it is time to turn the state’s attention to Interstate 44.

“We’ve talked about that ever since I’ve been in Jefferson City. and now it’s going to come to fruition,” Parson said. “Now with I-70 off the table, the good news for you in Southwest Missouri, I-44 is next. You will see vast improvement in that in the coming years. And I will tell you this, in the State of the State Address, I’m not supposed to be telling what I’m going to be saying, but I-44 will be mentioned.”

Parson said he expects there to be “a huge amount of support” for working on I-44 from St. Louis to Joplin, a project that has been discussed for years.

“I don’t think there’s any question you’ve got I-70 funded, you’ve got I-44 next in line,” Parson said. “We’re already starting the process, we’re building overpasses, we’re doing work on I-44 actually working our way to that time when we’re going to expand I-44. So I think there will be talk about that, there will be more talk about other projects in the state, I-55 and such.”

“Although we are already starting to process or start doing overpasses, we start doing work on I-44 actually working our way to that time when we’re going to expand I-44. So I think there’ll be more talks about that,” said Parson. It’s already a focus for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

MoDOT has been studying the issues for years, like the growing number of vehicles on the road, which can lead to a traffic slowdown and potentially dangerous conditions.

“Congestion around some of the cities is bordering on just dangerous at this point. And so I think we need to look at, you know, long term, a third lane on my 44 but in the short term, at least trying to alleviate some of that congestion,” said MO Rep. Cody Smith, (R).

MoDOT reports also look at the number and severity of I-44 wrecks, along with the associated property damage, injuries and deaths. The Jasper County section of the interstate alone tops the state average for fatal crashes.

Smith says it’s an important debate at the state level, but not likely one with an easy fix.

“So we think it could cost as much as about 9 billion to completely reconstruct I-44. So that gives you a sense of context about the scale. If I-70 was about three and I-44 is about nine then that tells you kind of all you need to know about the length and the traffic and the use of I 44 itself,” said Smith.

Smith says it’s likely to take more than a year to develop a plan and funding for the complete I-44 overhaul.

A proposed bill to be considered in the next Missouri General Assembly would flipflop the names of interstates 70 and 44 running through the state.
House Bill-2067 pre-filed on Wednesday by Representative Don Mayhew would change the name of Interstate-70 from the Kansas-Missouri state line to the Missouri-Illinois line to Interstate-44.
The bill would also change the name of Interstate-44 stretching from its current boundary in the St. Louis area to the Missouri-Oklahoma line to Interstate-70.
The short two paragraph introduction of the bill goes no further with any other information provided for the proposed changes to the names of the two interstates.
The 2024 General Assembly begins at 12-noon on Wednesday, January 3rd.

airforceguy1 wrote:This is nothing more than a political stunt. I-44 runs through his district and more than likely he's doing this because the state funded improvements to I-70 over I-44. If this state rep knew anything, he would know I-70 was far more of a pressing need as it connects the state's two biggest cities and is an important east-west transcontinental route. The governor earlier this month already said now that the I-70 widening is funded, I-44 would be the next challenge. So, I really don't know what State Rep. Mayhew is trying to prove with this bill. 

BILL FILED IN JEFFERSON CITY WOULD CHANGE I-44/I-70 NAMES

A proposed bill to be considered in the next Missouri General Assembly would flipflop the names of interstates 70 and 44 running through the state.
House Bill-2067 pre-filed on Wednesday by Representative Don Mayhew would change the name of Interstate-70 from the Kansas-Missouri state line to the Missouri-Illinois line to Interstate-44.
The bill would also change the name of Interstate-44 stretching from its current boundary in the St. Louis area to the Missouri-Oklahoma line to Interstate-70.
The short two paragraph introduction of the bill goes no further with any other information provided for the proposed changes to the names of the two interstates.
The 2024 General Assembly begins at 12-noon on Wednesday, January 3rd.

https://www.krmsradio.com/bill-filed-in-jefferson-city-would-change-i-44-i-70-names/

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote:That has to be to dumbest idea I've heard all year. What purpose would that even serve?

The last major examination of the I-44 corridor was a 2008 “Purpose and Need Study,” officials said. The 2010 expansion from four to six lanes of I-44 from near Six Flags to the Highway 100 Washington interchange, approximately five miles of work, was the only significant work after the 2008 study, O’Connor said. “I believe this project was already in the works prior to the 2008 study being completed though the study did highlight the need to complete these improvements,” he said. Eventually, Brinker would like to see an “Interstate 470” bringing Highway 47 up to freeway standards between I-70 in Warrenton and I-44 in St. Clair.“ People think I jest when I say this, but there is a vision of 44 to 70 on this,” he said. “There’s that kind of interest out there throughout the U.S., quite frankly. And with the 70 construction going on, it’s going to push some traffic patterns from a freight expressway to take the 44 route instead, in terms of timeliness, etc. I’ve already had people approach me on this that are in the industry, and (I) say we welcome any and all traverse through Franklin County, in lieu of St. Charles and Warren, those counties north.”

airforceguy1 wrote: ↑

Jan 26, 2024

Article from last month highlighting the $20 million the state set aside to study improvements to I-44. The part I found most interesting is that Franklin County commissioner Tim Brinker wants to see HWY 47 up to freeway standards between I-44 and I-70, thus making it a "western arc" freeway bypass of Metro STL. Personally, I think the idea is silly.

The last major examination of the I-44 corridor was a 2008 “Purpose and Need Study,” officials said. The 2010 expansion from four to six lanes of I-44 from near Six Flags to the Highway 100 Washington interchange, approximately five miles of work, was the only significant work after the 2008 study, O’Connor said. “I believe this project was already in the works prior to the 2008 study being completed though the study did highlight the need to complete these improvements,” he said. Eventually, Brinker would like to see an “Interstate 470” bringing Highway 47 up to freeway standards between I-70 in Warrenton and I-44 in St. Clair.“ People think I jest when I say this, but there is a vision of 44 to 70 on this,” he said. “There’s that kind of interest out there throughout the U.S., quite frankly. And with the 70 construction going on, it’s going to push some traffic patterns from a freight expressway to take the 44 route instead, in terms of timeliness, etc. I’ve already had people approach me on this that are in the industry, and (I) say we welcome any and all traverse through Franklin County, in lieu of St. Charles and Warren, those counties north.”

https://www.emissourian.com/local_news/i-44-improvements-could-be-on-tap/article_583fce40-a4c4-11ee-b6ef-d7f46b3bbbf0.html

The top House budget negotiator unveiled a pared-down version of Gov. Mike Parson’s spending proposal Thursday, saying his plan funnels less money to colleges and universities in exchange for more money for road building.
Rep. Cody Smith, a Carthage Republican, said the proposed $50 billion package focuses on “fiscally conservative policies that highlight the importance of spending within our means.”
A year after the Legislature put nearly $3 billion into the long-sought widening of Interstate 70, the House budget earmarks $727 million to rebuild the Interstate 44 corridor, which runs southwest from St. Louis to Joplin on Missouri’s western border.

Smith, a candidate for state treasurer, said initial work on the interstate likely will focus on the Springfield and Joplin area before moving eastward toward Rolla. “Through collaborative efforts and thorough analysis, we are addressing Missouri’s pressing needs while ensuring accountability and transparency in our budgetary decisions,” Smith said. In January, Parson called on lawmakers to approve a $53 billion spending blueprint that includes raises for Missouri school teachers, a 3% boost in funding for colleges and universities and more money for child care programs.

After funneling millions into raises for the state’s low-paid government workers in prior years, Parson is seeking another 3.2% increase for salaries, as well as money to begin studying improvements on I-44.

Parson’s plan also calls for $314.7 million for new construction on college campuses.

Smith said much of the Republican governor’s spending goals remain intact in the House plan, except for money that helps pay for the state’s higher education institutions.

In the Joplin area, the plan would earmark $291 million to widen the interstate to six lanes between the Fidelity interchange south of Carthage and the I-44/I-49/Missouri 249 interchange, and start rebuilding the Fidelity interchange from a cloverleaf to a series of four flyovers to carry traffic between the highways.

Marcus Edwards, vice president of recruiting at CFI, said the changes will mean safer travel along I-44 for truck drivers and others.

“I-44, as you drive down that, the lanes are the standard width, but they don’t look the same,” Edwards said. “They look skinnier because they’re so congested, so adding those extra lanes going east and west is going to be very helpful.”

Smith, R-Carthage, said lawmakers driving on the interstate every week for their commute to Jefferson City can see the need for I-44 to be upgraded as quickly as possible. “The I-49 and I-44 interchange (at Fidelity) is one of the busiest, probably in the country,” Smith said. “That's a very expensive overhaul, and it has been in MoDOT's plan for some time now. Injecting some additional cash in there will help move it forward more quickly. Additionally, six lanes between that intersection and the 249 exit here in Joplin will help alleviate congestion a great deal. If you just get out on the interstate today and you travel a little bit across and through Joplin, you'll see that traffic gets slower and backs up and it's more congested, just like it is in Springfield and Rolla. Some additional investments here and specifically the injection of cash to get started earlier will help alleviate those things more quickly.”

Missouri Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna was at the news conference along with many employees of CFI and a few state representatives from Southwest Missouri.

McKenna said MoDOT is already investing $500 million in I-44, but that money is going for preservation and maintenance, not expansion. He cited freight volume "particularly here in Joplin" and the convergence of I-44 and I-49 and economic growth in Springfield as reason for expanding those areas.

McKenna said the Fidelity interchange of I-49/I-44 was built with a cloverleaf design that worked well when traffic volumes were lower but not with the volume rising dramatically.

He also said MoDOT has divided the upgrades to the Fidelity interchange into five phases.