Traffic shift on westbound I-70 at Exit 117 starting this weekend

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Traffic on westbound Interstate 70 in Boone County is set to be rerouted for several months to allow the bridge over Route J to be reconstructed. Two lanes of travel will be maintained; however, speeds will be reduced, and there will continue to be no access to Routes O and J.

Beginning overnight Friday, July 24, construction crews working with the Missouri Department of Transportation plan to start rebuilding the westbound I-70 bridge over Route J (mile marker 117). During this work, westbound I-70 traffic will be diverted down and up the newly reconstructed ramps at Route J. Two lanes of travel will be maintained, but speeds will be reduced to 35 mph. The new bridge is expected to be completed by the end of November.

Throughout this traffic shift and bridge construction, there will continue to be no access to and from westbound I-70 and Routes O and J. Both westbound ramps at Exit 117 closed in early June for the ramps to be rebuilt. The new ramps will now support two lanes of westbound I-70 traffic. Until the new bridge is complete at the end of November, the following traffic impacts and detours will continue to be in place:

• Westbound and eastbound I-70 to and from Route J: CLOSED.
  • Detour: U.S. Route 40/Missouri Route 240.
• Westbound I-70 to and from Route O: CLOSED.
  • Detour from westbound I-70: Boone County Route BB (Exit 115) to eastbound I-70 to Route O.
  • Detour to westbound I-70: Eastbound I-70 to Exit 121 to westbound I-70.
• Route J to Route O (north-south access underneath I-70): CLOSED.
  • Detour: U.S. Route 40/Missouri Route 240 to Boone County Route UU.

Motorists are advised to slow down, use extra caution, and follow posted s igns and traffic control devices .

All work is weather-dependent and subject to change.

This work is part of one project in MoDOT's Statewide Improve I-70 Program , Improve I-70: Rocheport to Columbia, which will add a third lane of travel in each direction to the 14-mile stretch of I-70 between the Missouri River Bridge at Rocheport and approximately U.S. Route 63 in Columbia. This $441 million fixed-cost contract includes new pavement on all three lanes of I-70 and will also make interchange improvements at Route J/O, Midway (Route 40), Stadium Blvd., Business Loop 70, Providence Rd., Rangeline St., and U.S. Route 63.

Missouri's FY2024 budget, approved through the state legislative process and governor provides, $2.8 billion in General Revenue to build a third lane of I-70 across the state. The program will plan, design, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, and add a third lane in each direction on nearly 200 miles of I-70, from Blue Springs to Wentzville. For more information on the Improve I-70 Program and to sign up for program e-mails, visit http://www.modot.org/improvei70 .

For more information, call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org . To receive the latest statewide news and text alerts, signup for e-updates .

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