Around the District

Construction projects abound through District 4. It is the busiest construction season District 4 has ever had! Every county has projects in process. Review some of the most current projects for your county that are under construction. 

MoDOT Making Crucial Repairs to I-70

Interstate 70 is a critical east/west artery running straight through Kansas City. More than 60 years old, this highway is one of the most congested and in need of major repair. However, funding options limit the amount and extent of work available.

Over the next two years, MoDOT is taking some steps to keep this important roadway in working order for the hundreds of thousands of drivers who rely on it every day, including bridge work, and easing congestion where the highway meets Interstate 435.

One of the first challenges: Repairing 14 bridges from downtown from Troost Avenue to Van Brunt Boulevard.

Trip, Trap, Trip: Over the Bridge They Went

Built in 1960, these bridge decks are in poor condition. Cracking and potholes have reached a point where they can no longer be patched. In fact, in order to keep these bridges usable for another 50 years, crews must work systematically along each bridge to make more extensive, longer-lasting repairs.

Bridges are engineering marvels and one of the key rules of engineering is that only so much of a bridge surface can be compromised at one time and  allow it to safely function. To keep these bridges in working order -- while repairing -- means a tight schedule for which portions are repaired, and how.

Where Two Interstates Meet

Another critical I-70 project this year takes a look at the meeting place for Interstate 435. This highly congested area services more than 200,000 motorists per day.  

One goal of this project is to add a third lane of I-70 beneath I-435, remove the Route 40 bridge over I-435 and replace it with a new half-diamond interchange to give drivers access on the north side. This new interchange is expected to be complete by December 2010. After that, the Blue Ridge Cutoff (George Brett) Bridge will be removed and replaced before the Royals home opening game in April 2011.

The Continuing Story of I-70

Keeping I-70 running smooth is an ongoing project. MoDOT completed a planning study on the I-70 corridor that offers several additional improvements for this sweeping piece of Interstate. As with any project, funding drives the final decisions. For more information on the I-70 projects and the I-70 study, visit www.modot.org/kansascity.

Interstate 70 has a winding history that begins in the 1950’s. In 1992, the final piece of the Interstate was opened to traffic in Glenwood Canyon, Colo. It was also the first interstate project to be signed into law, and essentially traces U.S. Route 40.

Today it remains a major artery through the U.S., running straight through Missouri. In our area, more than 100,000 motorists rely on this stretch of interstate to travel through the city.

Keep up-to-date on these important projects on Facebook, Twitter or at www.modot.org/kansacity.

Department Announces 5-year Plan to Reduce Expenses, Staff

MoDOT's construction program is on a steep decline due to stagnant state revenues, uncertain federal funding, rising employee benefit costs and no more money coming from Amendment 3 mandated bonds. The situation has caused MoDOT to set a new direction for the next five years.

Missouri Department of Transportation Director Pete Rahn recently announced dramatic cost savings measures and a plan to keep major highways in good condition and to improve smaller highways as less funding is available for new construction.

The department will save $203 million over the next five years by cutting costs and eliminating 400 salaried positions without lay-offs by June 30, 2013.  The plan calls for a focus on keeping the existing transportation system in good condition and for meeting all commitments made in the five-year Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.  

"MoDOT has made great strides in improving Missouri's transportation system and rebuilding trust with the people we serve, but financial uncertainties are threatening the progress we've made over the past five years," said Rahn. "Despite this challenge, we are committed to providing a smooth and safe ride on our highways and delivering improvements on time and under budget." 

Currently, highway fatalities are at their lowest level since 1950. Eighty-six percent of major roads are in good condition. Eighty-nine percent of Missourians say they trust MoDOT to meet its commitments and overall customer satisfaction is at 85 percent. To maintain the quality and safety of the transportation system and continue to build trust and confidence with the public, MoDOT will implement several strategies. MoDOT will save $81 million over the next five years by reducing the size of its workforce and work space.

By June 30, 2013, there will be 400 fewer positions. This reduction will not be achieved through lay-offs, but rather by immediately instituting a hiring freeze on 75 percent of positions that become vacant and by making sure the right people are in the right jobs. The department will also reduce the number of offices and buildings it owns.

MoDOT will save another $122 million over the next five years by cutting costs. The department will reduce spending on vehicles, buildings and other capital improvements, information technologies and materials inventory. Other reductions will be more visible to the public, such as less mowing, litter pickup and sign replacement.

MoDOT will also find a less expensive way to do striping, reduce the use of consultants and use shorter-term pavement treatments.

Learn more about MoDOT's 5-year plan at www.modot.org.

Filling In the Gap: Route 13 Continues to Grow

It’s 7 miles but it will fundamentally change the way traffic moves along Route 13, making it one of the most improved corridors through District 4.

It is rare to see a road built from scratch but that’s exactly the picture residents near Warrensburg can see. The Route 13 “East Loop” is a two-lane roadway that will pull through traffic from the congested town center to a new, smooth drive around the city center.  

This $17.6 million project works in concert with the Route 13 “Gap” project, which has a similar agenda to send traffic to the east of the City of Lexington, separating through and local traffic.  

In October  2009, US 50 opened to two-lane traffic in each direction on new bridges. This construction season, crews will complete the bridge construction and finish paving.   

You can follow the progress of this important project online at www.modot.org/kansascity or on the MoDOT Kansas City Facebook page.

Riding Along Route 45

If you live in Platte County, chances are you have driven Route 45. Considered a critical east/west route in the area, this road can host as many as 18,000 cars a day. Experts estimate that this high-traffic route could have as many as 53,000 drivers by 2030 – almost triple the amount!

Unfortunately, with the higher traffic comes more accidents. In fact, the accident rate along Route 45 is 26 percent higher than the state average for similar corridors within the state. A large part of the problem is the more than 80 access points where vehicles can pull on or off the roadway.

Making this corridor safer for drivers is an important issue at MoDOT. The department starts construction this summer to add a lane in each direction, giving vehicles the option to go around stalled vehicles with no chance for a head on collision with opposing traffic. The design for the new roadway is also safer than the existing road.

“Improving Route 45 is a high priority for MoDOT. It is because of the great partnership we share with the city of Parkville and Platte County that we were able to move forward with this project, not facing delay,” said Randy Johnson, MoDOT Project Manager. “We have faced challenges during design but they have been dealt with head on as we all work together for the one common goal, a safer drive, an improved way, a much safer route.”

Contractors will strive to maintain one open lane of traffic in each direction at all times along Route 45 during construction.

This project is open for letting in April, keep tabs on the progress online at www.modot.org/kansascity or on MoDot Kansas City on facebook.

Eight Miles: Rehabilitating Interstate 35

Did you know it will take more than $21 million to repair and rehabilitate eight miles of Interstate? For the stretch of I-35 from Clinton County to Kearney, it’s eight miles that needs some attention.

As a road degrades over time, the concrete under the asphalt slowly deteriorates from normal wear and tear. While the asphalt can be repaired or replaced, the concrete underneath requires attention as well.

MoDOT begins the extensive pavement rehabilitation to rebuild the eight miles in March. It will take approximately eight months to complete. In addition to the concrete work on the Interstate, 10 bridges will have the bridge deck replaced and or repaired.  

More than 17,000 motorists drive this stretch of road every day, and while the summer of orange barrels will frustrate, the smoother, safer eight miles is sure to delight.  

Learn more about this project online at www.modot.org/kansascity.

One Bridge At a Time: Safe & Sound At Work in 2010

Last year was a banner construction season for the Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program. More than 100 bridges were repaired or replaced throughout the state, some in as little as 30 days!

This year, KTU Constructors was tapped for the herculean task to replace 554 bridges  ̶  at a cost of $487 million  ̶  across the state.

With that many bridges undergoing construction, District 4 has a fair share of bridge work. In 2010 47, bridges will be completed in our district. In fact, work begins as early as March. This season:

• Cass County will have 2 bridges under construction in 2010.
• Clay County has 5 bridges, including Route KK at Owens Bridge which begins construction Mar. 22
• Henry County has 5 bridges, but none are closing. Crossovers are available to keep traffic flowing.
• Jackson County also has 5 bridges including the Route W bridges, also known as Bannister Road which began construction Feb. 8.
• Johnson County has only 1 bridge this year, but in 2011, 12 bridges will be under construction.
• Lafayette County has a lions share this year with 12 bridges getting the Safe & Sound treatment.
• There are 9 bridges in Platte County including Route N over Prairie Branch which started construction this week.
• Ray County residents will see most of their construction for seven bridges this Fall.

Missouri has more than 10,000 bridges, and more than 1,000 are in poor condition. The Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program is a safe, innovative and cost-effective way to quickly rebuild and rehabilitate Missouri’s highway bridges by 2013. At the end of the Program, Missourians will have 800 bridges that have been improved in a quick, cost effective manner.

Review a county-by-county list of all projects for individual project time lines.

Bridge Pylon Completion Marks Milestone for Kansas City Landmark

Kansas City's skyline is undergoing a transformation as the new Christopher S. Bond Missouri River bridge continues to take shape. The final concrete pour for the last section of the bridge's delta-shaped pylon took place March 5. 

As the temporary forms, struts, and the black tarps used to protect the concrete during cold weather are stripped away, the pylon will become even more visible. The first of 40 stay cables that radiate from the pylon and anchor to the steel girders supporting the roadway will be in place by March 12.

"This new, 316-foot-tall, cable-stay bridge will be visible from a variety of vantage points around our city for the next century," said kcICON Project Director Brian Kidwell. "Completing the pylon marks an exciting construction milestone." 

Some interstate traffic could be crossing the new Bond Bridge as early as December 2010. The river bridge and 4.7 miles of Interstate 29/35 reconstruction is scheduled to be completed by July 2011. 

To learn more, visit www.kcicon.com or search "kcICON Project" on Facebook.