MODOT Announces Dual Study On I-44 Corridor

The Missouri Department of Transportation, on Thursday, announced the selection of two consultants to lead an environmental study of the more than 250 miles of Interstate-44 from the Oklahoma State line to the Route-100 East interchange near Gray Summit in Franklin County.

The two consultants, Hg Consult Inc. and Garver, will each study a stretch of corridor which has been divided into two sections for the study.

The goal of the study, according to MoDOT, is to update and validate the outcomes of the 2008 Purpose and Need Study and to provide an opportunity for public input from stakeholders along the I-44 corridor.

$20-million of General Revenue is being made available out of the Fiscal-2024 budget signed by Governor Parson for the environmental study.

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The Missouri Department of Transportation has initiated the I-44 Purpose and Need Study as one of the first steps to gather detailed information on I-44. The area being examined is the stretch of I-44 from the Oklahoma state line on the western end to Route 100 on the eastern end.

The goal of the study is to conduct a thorough analysis of the I-44 corridor in the following areas:

• Crashes
• Environmental characteristics and demographic history
• Detailed analysis of the traffic flow (both on the main line and through interchanges)
• Full accounting of all bridges and their conditions
• Pavement conditions and history
• Roadway characteristics, including interchanges, compared to current design standards.
• Prepare for subsequent National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.

This study will not propose solutions ­ rather, at the conclusion of the study, an analysis will be performed on the information gathered to create a Purpose and Need Statement. The Purpose and Need Statement will be written to summarize the findings and identify deficiencies in transportation, commerce, recreational access, tourism, agriculture and similar uses associated with the I-44 corridor.

The study will also prioritize areas into short-term and long-term needs for future potential improvements, but will not make recommendations on what those future improvements will be.