The Missouri Department of Transportation will relocate Route 50 from St. Martins in Cole County to west of California in Moniteau County.

The first phase of the project consists of 11 miles of new four lane highway between the existing St. Martins interchange to Route K, east of California.

Phase Two is 8.35 miles from Route K to west of California, and includes grading, paving, drainage work and a new interchange at Route 87. From Route 87 around California the highway will be two lanes with paved shoulders.

Construction on Phase One began in early 2007 and is scheduled for completion in late 2008. Phase Two construction is scheduled to begin in late summer 2008 and completed by the end of 2010. The contractor for both phases is Illinois Valley Paving, Co., of Springfield Ill.

Location Sketch (PDF)

Phase Two Award Amount: $24,876,910.73

Phase Two Groundbreaking Ceremony Photos (Aug. 28, 2008)

Phase Two Contract Award News Release (July 30, 2008)

Phase One Award Amount: $29,874,886.29

Phase One Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony News Release (Oct. 31, 2008)

Phase One Groundbreaking Ceremony Photos (Feb. 26, 2007)

Phase One Groundbreaking Ceremony News Release (Feb. 21, 2007)

June 2005 Public Hearing News Release

The Missouri Department of Transportation will construct an interchange at U.S. Route 50/63 and City View Drive in Jefferson City to improve traffic flow and safety along Route 50/63 and enhance local economic development. The project is funded by the City of Jefferson, Cole County, MoDOT and a Transportation Development District (TDD).

The interchange will improve safety by allowing for the removal of crossovers at Expressview Drive and Schott Drive/Rolling Hills Road. Once the new interchange is completed, motorists will have right in/right out access to the highway at these two locations. The crossover at City View Drive will also be removed and access to the highway replaced with an interchange. The crossover and direct highway access at Eastwood Drive/LePage Road will be removed and access to the highway at this location will be through the interchange.

Completion Date:  Winter 2008

Contractor:  Bloomsdale Excavating Company, Inc.

Award Cost:  $14,962,616.06

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony News Release (Oct. 30, 2008)

Whitton Expressway

Environmental Impact Study

The Missouri Department of Transportation has partnered with Cole County and Jefferson City to complete an environmental impact study of the Whitton Expressway. The study will examine what improvements might address current and future needs for safety and capacity. The study will also examine connectivity to the planned redevelopment at the Missouri State Penitentiary site.

The study area includes the Whitton Expressway (US Route 50/63) from just east of the Route 54/63 tri-level interchange east to the Eastland Drive interchange. It extends to McCarty Street on the north, and approximately Dunklin Street to the south.

June 2008 Update:

The study team has been working diligently to develop a recommendation that improves access between the Expressway and the Missouri State Penitentiary redevelopment site and to evaluate the impacts of that recommendation.

Recent work has included evaluation of traffic patterns in Jefferson City near the Whitton Expressway, evaluations of historic sites and development of a Preliminary Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) document outlining the evaluation process and findings. Once MoDOT management has reviewed the preliminary document, it will be sent to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) review.

We anticipate that we will have approval from FHWA to distribute the Draft EIS publicly sometime in the last quarter of 2008 for a formal 45-day review. During that review period, we will reconvene the Whitton Expressway EIS Advisory Group, and host a public hearing on the recommendations.

Jan. 29, 2008 -- Public Meeting Comments Summary (PDF)

Jan. 22, 2008 -- Advisory Committee Meeting Summary (PDF)

Jan. 29, 2008 -- Public Meeting Displays (PDF)

Range of Reasonable Alternatives (Maps)

January 2008 Newsletter (PDF)

Jan. 29, 2008 -- Public Meeting News Release

August 14, 2007 -- Public Meeting Exhibits (PDF)

July 2007 Newsletter (PDF)

Whitton Expressway Problem Definition Study, Spring 2006