Drivers across Mid-Missouri are being urged to plan ahead as numerous road construction and improvement projects continue or begin in several counties, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).
Many of the projects are scheduled between Dec. 29 and Jan. 4, with work affecting Boone, Callaway, Camden, Crawford, Howard, Laclede, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski, and Washington counties. While most projects will allow at least one lane of traffic to remain open, motorists should expect delays and changing traffic patterns.
In Boone County, crews will replace concrete curbs along Route 763 (College Avenue) from Rogers Street to East Ash Street between Dec. 29 and Dec. 31. One lane will remain open during construction.
Long-term interchange improvements also continue along U.S. Route 63 at Route AC (Grindstone Parkway). Although most work will not immediately disrupt traffic, drivers are advised to remain alert for crews and equipment near the roadway. That project is expected to continue through November 2026.
Construction on the Highway 63 and I-70 Connector is projected to last another two years. MoDOT officials say 2026 will focus on bridge construction over Hinkson Creek.
“The 63/70 interchange is a lot of puzzle pieces,” Kopinski explained. “If we try to put too many together at once, the impacts would be so significant that it would disrupt traffic even more than it does today.”
As work progresses, drivers will eventually be shifted onto a newly constructed eastbound bridge.
MoDOT also plans to add a third lane on I-70 from the Missouri River to Midway in the new year. Another major disruption is expected at the Providence Road overpass.
“Providence over I-70 will be a location where we will demolish that bridge over the summer and work as hard as we can to rebuild that but will be a big impact for the local area,” Kopinski said.
Meanwhile, the North Outer Road 70 east of Columbia remains closed near Little Cedar Creek for a culvert extension project. The closure is expected to remain in place through February 2026, and drivers will need to use alternate routes.
Several roadside projects are scheduled along Route D, Routes J and UU, and Route A, with one lane open and traffic guided by flaggers. Pavement work also continues on I-70 between Route M and Kingdom City as part of the Improve I-70 Program.
Additional long-term lane closures are underway on I-70 from west of St. Charles Road to the Callaway County line, with the full project scheduled for completion in 2027.
Concrete has already been poured between Route J and Route M, leaving only two lanes open in each direction until next fall. MoDOT officials say the decision followed a review of crash data and consultations with law enforcement and emergency responders.
“So next spring, you’ll start to see crews back out there really attacking that section hard,” said Kopinski. “From Route M at Hatton Road to Kingdom City, we’ll add a third lane eastbound and westbound on I-70 and rebuild the existing pavement. It will look very similar to what drivers have seen over the past year.”
By this time next year, officials expect 12 to 13 miles of six-lane highway to be fully striped and open to traffic.
“As we move forward, we're going to continue to take a close eye and say as we open sections, what makes the best sense for the safety of the traveling public, but also the safety of our workers as well for each area,” Kopinski said.
The U.S. 54 interchange is expected to be completed by fall 2026, with officials hoping to finish most interchange work before peak lake season.
“We're really hoping and trying hard to complete all interchange work before lake season really goes full speed in the summer,” Kopinski said.
Additional activity is expected at the Kingdom City interchange, where bridge demolition later this spring or early summer will shift traffic onto newly constructed bridges.
“We have to new briges for northbound and southbound US 54 over I-70. We're going to switch traffic out of those two new bridges and then we've got to demolish over one weekend,” Kopinski said.
Culvert replacement projects are planned along Route A near Prairie Rose Road and on Route C at various locations from Dec. 29 through Jan. 2. One lane will remain open with traffic controlled by flaggers.
On U.S. Route 54, pavement widening and driveway entrance improvements continue from Business Route 5 to Bumper Hill Road. Traffic has been shifted, and the center turn lane is closed, though one lane in each direction remains open. This phase of the project is expected to wrap up in spring 2026.
In Miller County, a culvert replacement is scheduled on Route D at Lola Circle from Dec. 29 through Jan. 2.
In Moniteau County, roundabout construction continues at Route 87 and Route C, with one lane open and temporary signals directing traffic. Completion is expected in January 2026.
Morgan County crews will work along Route 52 between Route FF and Route 135, as well as on Route Y, with one lane open and traffic flagged through work zones. A separate roundabout project at Route 52 and Route 5 in Versailles is also expected to finish in January.
In Osage County, crews will replace culverts along Route C from Dec. 29 through Jan. 2, with one lane remaining open.
Transportation officials remind drivers to slow down, stay alert, and follow posted signage when traveling through construction zones.
Originally reported by Euphenie Andre in ABC 17 News.
