MoDOT - Missouri Department of Transportation
01/07/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/07/2026 13:00
MoDOT to host public meeting on Nodaway County U.S. Route 71 intersection improvement project
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The Missouri Department of Transportation is administering a project in partnership with Evergy, Inc. to improve the intersection of U.S. Route 71 and 340th Street ahead of the construction of a new natural gas plant south of Maryville. This project is currently scheduled to go out for contractor bids as a part of MoDOT's April 2026 letting.
To improve traffic flow, reduce crash points, and accommodate increased traffic during construction, the recommendation is to replace the existing crossover with J-turns. With a J-turn, motorists will no longer cross multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic. Drivers at a J-turn intersection turn right in the same direction of traffic, merge into the passing lane, and then make a U-turn in the direction they intend to travel.
An open house-style public meeting will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at the Maryville Public Safety Training Room (101 N. Vine St., Maryville). Attendees are welcome to come any time between 4-6 p.m. to view plans and speak with project leaders from MoDOT and Evergy, Inc. There will be no formal presentation.
This meeting will enable the public to share their thoughts or concerns about the project plans and provide comments, either directly to the project leaders or comment forms.
If you are unable to attend the open house, two other opportunities for public comment are available through Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026.
- View the project website at https://wmodot.org/projects/us-route-71-j-turn-installation-nodaway-county. While there, sign up to receive updates about this project via email and/or leave comments.
- Mail your comments to:
Nodaway U.S. Route 71 Intersection Improvement
Missouri Department of Transportation
3602 North Belt Highway
St. Joseph, MO 64506
All comments must be postmarked by Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026.
MoDOT is committed to providing equal access to this event for all participants. If you need reasonable accommodation or translation services, please contact Northwest District Communications at 816-901-4529 by Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.
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Project Webpage
U.S. Route 71 J-Turn Installation in Nodaway County | Missouri Department of Transportation
MoDOT - Missouri Department of Transportation published this content on January 07, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 07, 2026 at 19:00 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]