$587 million in Proposed Projects Included for the Greater Kansas City Area
For the greater Kansas City area, Missouri's proposed transportation improvement program includes over 100 projects worth more than $587 million. However this is the last program that will include major projects before funding plummets to a level that can barely address minimal maintenance and safety work of the system. The 2009-2013 transportation program has a total of $4.35 billion statewide highway and bridge budget and includes $300 million in new construction projects because lower than expected interest rates provided additional Amendment 3 bonding capacity. The $140 million bonded amount, combined with state savings from using Practical Design on projects and local matching funds, allows the Missouri Department of Transportation to tackle these new highway projects over the next five years, including additional lanes, interchange improvements and congestion relief.
For the district that translates to three new projects totaling $60 million:
· Jackson County, I-70 & I-435, improve capacity of Blue Ridge Cut-off & Rt. 40, $34 million.
· Jackson County, I-70 & Rt. 40, relocated north outer road in Grain Valley, $4 million.
· Johnson County, Rt. 13, Warrensburg relocation north of Rt. 50, $22 million.
"We are very pleased to be able to deliver these additional projects to the district," said Beth Wright, District Engineer for District 4. "At the same time we are concerned because Amendment 3 bonds have all been used, and our state and district transportation system is in jeopardy. This proposed program marks the transition from being able to build new projects to being able to minimally maintain what we have. It is time to begin discussing what our next steps will be as a state, or eventually, it will significantly reduce the district's ability to serve the citizens who travel in our area."
The proposed program includes transportation improvements identified by citizens and by metropolitan planning organizations in Kansas City. "We worked diligently to provide an opportunity for the public and our planning partners to provide input into this process to identify and prioritize projects in our district," added Wright.
The draft 2009-2013 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program lists all transportation projects planned by state and regional planning agencies for fiscal years 2009 through 2013 (July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2013). The proposed program is available for public review now through June 27. Following the public review, 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 July 2.
Citizens interested in seeing the program or offering comments can contact MoDOT's customer service centers at 1-888 ASK MODOT (275-6636).
Click to review the Plan and Comment.
