MIssouri May Faces Years Without New Road Projects

A MODOT inspection of KC’s Broadway Bridge.

The head of the Missouri Highway Commission predicts there will be no new projects for the next five years on Missouri’s roads.

Stephen Miller made that prediction earlier this week in a July 6, posting in hison-line column, ‘ View from the Chair ‘.

“for the first time in history no expansion projects were added to the STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program).

The head of the Kansas City MODOT region, Dan Neic says that means an end to new projects involving. “widening a bridge to add a lane like we’re doing up at the Manchester Bridge, or adding lanes to the roadway itself to add capacity.”

Neic today showed four Kansas City Northland state legislators an inspection of the Broadway Bridge, which connects downtown Kansas City to parts of the city on the other side of the Missouri River.

Neic says because funding is so tight, the 59-year bridge is not on the list of the state’s busiest roads which will be maintained.

Kansas City officials are hoping the bridge can be replaced soon.

The fund problems has been created because the millions MODOT received from the federal stimulus program and from a voter-approved bond program have been spent.

Efforts to raise more money for MODOT, through a sales tax increase or a state fuel tax increase have not worked.