The Missouri Department of Transportation will focus its efforts on preservation of the state’s transportation system – a $54 billion asset that carries a $125 billion replacement cost. That’s the central theme of the draft 2018-2022 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, or “STIP,” which was recently presented to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.
The document outlines several projects planned in Texas County during the next five years.
Transportation Planning Director Machelle Watkins told commissioners the draft STIP includes 606 new projects that invest in 2,252 lane miles of interstate pavements, 3,302 miles of major route pavements, 7,461 miles of minor route pavements and 497 bridges.
Missouri has the nation’s seventh largest state highway system with 33,873 miles of roadways and 10,394 bridges.
MoDOT has developed asset management plans for each district with the goal to maintain current pavement and bridge conditions. “Without preventive maintenance the cost of improving a road or bridge in poor condition can cost four to 10 times more,” MoDOT director Patrick McKenna said. “Our legislature and the citizens of Missouri have told us loud and clear to take care of this system. This plan does just that. We focus limited resources on maintaining current conditions through every region of the state. However, limited funding enables us to only tread water. We improve roads and bridges at the same rate that others fall into disrepair.”
Fulfilling MoDOT’s commitment to transparency and accountability, this draft STIP includes more detailed project information for non-highway modes of transportation compared to prior STIPS, and also includes a new section detailing the planned operations and maintenance activities for the upcoming year, alongside expenditures for those same activities in the prior year. This additional information is provided to allow Missourians to more easily see how their transportation funding is invested.
The draft 2018-2022 STIP lists transportation projects planned by state and regional planning agencies for fiscal years 2018 through 2022 (July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022). The proposed program is available for public review. Anyone interested in seeing the program or offering comments can contact MoDOT by emailing STIPcomments@modot.mo.gov or calling 888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636). The program is also available online at www.modot.org/plansandprojects/construction_program/STIP2018-2022/index.htm, and at Mo-DOT district and regional offices around the state. The formal comment period ends Friday (June 2).
Following the public review period, the comments will be presented to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. The commission will review the comments and the final transportation program before considering it for approval at its June 29 meeting.
Texas County projects included in the plan:
• Big Creek Bridge on Highway 17 – $1.842 million, 2019-2020.
• Pavement improvements, Highway 32 from Highway 17 to Laclede County line, 6.58 miles, $667,000, 2017-2018.
• Pavement improvements, Highway 32 from Highway 17 to U.S. 63, 16.36 miles, $1.424 million, 2019-2020.
• Pavement improvements, U.S. 60 from Highway 95 to U.S. 60/63 interchange, 11.94 miles, $2.14 million, 2018-2019.
• Pavement improvements, U.S. 60 from U.S. 63 to U.S. 60, 3.3 miles, $839,000, 2019-2020.
• Pavement improvements, U.S. 63 from Highway 32 to Highway E, 10.84 miles, $2.844 million, 2018-2019.
• Pavement improvements, U.S. 63 from Highway U to U.S. 60, 3.27 miles, $899,000.
• Pavement improvements, U.S. 63 from Cleveland Road to Highway U, 13.46 miles, $3.712 million, 2019-2020.
• Pavement improvements, Highway B from U.S. 63 to Highway 137, 5.8 miles, $177,000, 2017-2018.
• Pavement improvements, Highway F (Walnut Street) from U.S. 63 to end of state maintenance, .31 miles $53,000, 2019-2020.
• Pavement improvements, Highway MM from Highway 38 to end of payment, 12.4 miles, $887,000.