Bridge, pavement upgrades planned

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has approved the 2019-23 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program - the list of projects planned by state and regional agencies to be done between this July and June 30, 2023.

The program is based on the Missouri Department of Transportation's long-range transportation plan, financial forecast, asset management plan and prioritization of project needs at local transportation planning organizations.

The department's Transportation Planning Director Machelle Watkins said this five-year plan includes 1,319 projects, which for the most part will maintain the system's current condition.

This program allots money for improvements to 586 miles of inter-state, 3,819 miles on state routes and 172 bridges.

The plan's construction budget has $900 million per year for the five-year period, up from $850 million in fiscal year 2018. However, departemnt officials said that is still insufficient to meet the state's unfunded high-priority transportation needs, estimated at an additional $825 million per year.

In Moniteau County, bridge improvements over Median Creek and Burris Fork Creek on Route CC are planned for fiscal year 2019-20 for nearly $1.3 million.

In Morgan County, in fiscal year 2020-21, pavement improvements are planned on Missouri 5 from Route W to south of Missouri 7 for $7.1 million and on U.S. 50 from the Pettis County line to just west of Business 50 West in California for $4.8 million. In Miller County, a new interchange at Bagnell Dam Boulevard and Osage Hills Road on U.S. 54 would be constructed in the 2019-20 fiscal year for $9.8 million.

Projects to be done in Cole County are primarily pavement repair and resurfacing, as well as guard cable installation. The majority of this work is planned for 36 miles of the U.S. 54 corridor, to be done in three projects planned for the 2019-20 fiscal year, totaling more than $11 million. The pavement resurfacing projects will go from Route E to near Stadium Boulevard in Jefferson City and from the Miller County line to Route E. The guard cable work will go from the Miller County line to near Stadium Boulevard.

The 2021-22 fiscal year includes plans for bridge improvements over Moreau Creek on Route A for $625,000 and over Bois Brule Creek on Route H for $685,000.