Show-Me State Times

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has announced a public meeting regarding the widening of Interstate 44 in Springfield. The project aims to expand I-44 to six lanes, with three lanes in each direction. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 25, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Crossway Baptist Church.

Attendees will receive information about traffic impacts during construction, the contractor's schedule, and an overview of the completed project. The meeting is informal, allowing attendees to arrive anytime between 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Those unable to attend can access project details online at www.modot.org/southwest or contact MoDOT’s Southwest District Office for assistance.

The project includes widening I-44 between Missouri Route 13 and U.S. Route 65, replacing several bridges over city streets, building a pedestrian underpass east of Grant Avenue, resurfacing parts of I-44, and constructing a sound wall south of I-44.

Traffic impacts will include narrowed lanes and shifts on I-44 while maintaining two lanes in each direction except during short nighttime closures. Ramp closures and prolonged street closures on Broadway Avenue, Grant Avenue, and National Avenue are expected.

The contractor for this $70.7 million project is Capital Paving & Construction LLC from Jefferson City. Funding includes $13.4 million from General Revenue funds provided by the General Assembly and the Governor’s Office. Completion is scheduled for May 2027.

For more information, call MoDOT in Springfield at 417-895-7600 or visit their website.